48th Avenue Bridge Improvement Project

The City and County of Denver contracted SEMA Construction of Centennial for rehabilitation work on the 48th Avenue Viaduct in April 2021.  The bridge is located in northwest Denver and spans over the rail lines for UPRR, BNSF and RTD. These improvements will extend the life of the bridge, constructed in the late 1970s, that provides an important connection between the Globeville and Sunnyside and Chaffee Park neighborhoods.

Schedule and Timing

Work began on April 12, 2021 and was completed by Fall 2021. 

 Phases of work that were completed:

  • Removed existing layer of asphalt
  • Inspected and tested concrete beneath the top layer
  • Repaired concrete and parts of the bridge structure
  • Repaired sidewalk and added new guardrail
  • Replaced expansion joints of the bridge
  • Removed and installed a new waterproofing membrane
  • Applied new layers of concrete and asphalt

Project Map

48th Avenue Bridge Improvement Project location map

Project Photos

Crews conduct repair work on the viaduct’s road surface.


Crews conducted repair work on the viaduct's road surface.

Crews replace concrete on 48th Avenue viaduct.


Crews replaced concrete on 48th Avenue Viaduct.

Project Highlights

Chemicals in deicing agents can take a toll on Colorado’s bridges. These materials work their way inside the concrete and attack the rebar which degrades the entire structure. Crews working on the 48th Avenue Viaduct installed anodes which are designed to be sacrificial and increase the longevity of the rebar and prevent premature corrosion by targeting the corrosive materials through chemical reactions.

Typically comprised of a zinc alloy, the anodes are anchored to the rebar using steel ties. The zinc attracts the corrosive chloride material from the deicers and degrades as opposed to the rebar in the concrete. Installing anodes extends longevity of the concrete and bridge as long as 25 years. Crews then patched the concrete with a special polymer-blended concrete which prevents shrinkage and cracking in the deck that could turn into potholes.

Contact the Project Team

If you have questions or comments about the project, please contact us by phone or email.

You will receive a response from the public information team within 24 business hours.

Project Hotline: (720) 437-8733

Email: 48thAve@PublicInfoTeam.com

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