Location: Afghanistan/Tajikistan Border

Services include:

• Bridge design
• Geotechnical investigation
• Cost estimating
• Title II inspection services 

Baker was awarded a series of task orders through the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Transatlantic Program Center (CETAC), to provide bridge design including the geotechnical investigation, cost estimating, shop drawing review, 35% structural drawings, and Title II inspection services for the 672 meter long, $38 million Afghanistan/Tajikistan Bridge. The bridge, which carries two travel lanes and a pedestrian walkway, crosses the Pyandzh River, which marks the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan.  This politically and economically important bridge serves as a vital link in a trade route that stretches over 1,400 miles from Karachi, Pakistan to Almaty, Kazakhstan. 

U.S. commitments to the local governments, federal funding cycle dynamics, and the widely varied seasonal river conditions all combined to dramatically compress the project’s schedule.  Given the tight time constraints, Baker decided to utilize the design/build project delivery method for the bridge.  Additionally, due to the long life expectations of the bridge, consideration of the harsh environment and extremely limited availability of construction and maintenance resources was vital during the design.  The use of construction materials that could be procured locally and construction techniques suitable for the region was necessary.  It was also important that the materials used in the construction of the bridge were low maintenance.