Some intense summer storms raised the waterway and could have caused issues with conventional formwork for the abutments; but because they were prefabricated, there were no issues with dewatering. Additionally, the tight construction deadline due to fish spawning season could have presented a challenge for more traditional methods, but the efficiency of prefabricated parts allowed for rapid construction.

Having never built their own bridge before, the lightweight and simple InQuik system enabled Eau Claire to perform the project themselves and keep funds within the local community, while also saving substantially compared to the engineer’s initial estimate. Additionally, while we often see three-to-four-month timelines for fully formed and cast-in-place bridges, Eau Claire was able to “place and pour” the prefabricated parts in just four weeks, allowing them to overcome timeframe challenges.