City of Columbus FRA-70 Utility Line Relocation

A critical highway infrastructure project through downtown Columbus required a flyover structure for I-71 over I-70. To do this, the existing 69kV and 138kV transmission lines needed to be raised. The double circuit transmission line was rebuilt with taller poles to make the construction of the highway improvements possible. The sequence of construction was developed to assure continuity of service to two substations.

In total, twelve transmission poles were designed, with two spanning 900-feet across the Scioto River. The largest pole is 150-feet high with an 8-foot diameter x 3/4-inch thick base, and the foundation goes 65-feet into the ground. In addition to this being the longest transmission pole span ever designed by GPD, it was also the largest pole fabricated by the manufacturer and the largest ever set by the contractor.

The longest pole span we’ve ever designed,

the largest transmission pole the manufacturer has ever fabricated,

and largest the contractor has ever set.