- Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan cut the ribbon on October 12, 2022, on the grand opening of the new bridge over the Potomac River.
- MGX supplied up to 17 cranes at any given time to the project, which began in early 2020 and was completed ahead of schedule.
- The $463 million project was led by the Skanska-Corman-McLean (SCM) Joint Venture and created 500 jobs.
A new four-lane, $463 million bridge opened to traffic connecting Maryland and Virginia over the Potomac River on October 12, 2022. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan cut the ribbon at a ceremony hosted by the Maryland Transportation Authority to inaugurate the new Nice-Middleton Bridge. MGX Equipment Services (MGX) representatives attended the event and highlighted the company’s role in supplying the event with cranes and bridge-building technical expertise.
“It is a historic day for the region as we announce the grand opening of the new Nice-Middleton Bridge — replacing an 82-year-old bridge with a state-of-the-art Potomac River crossing between Maryland and Virginia on budget and ahead of schedule,” Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan tweeted.
MGX’s involvement began in mid-2020 when the company assembled a Manitowoc 888 crawler crane onto a ringer. Experienced MGX technicians led the project’s lifting operations that at times grew to up to 17 cranes at work on barges at the site during 2021 and 2022.
“We became known as the team that never said ‘no,’” said John Boland, product support sales representative at MGX. “Our job was to keep the cranes running, and we did. Over the past three years, we had incredible support from the entire MGX team, and we were able to always make it happen. I’m truly proud of what we were able to accomplish.”
The new bridge replaces an existing 82-year-old, two-lane bridge, and it will be used by close to 18,000 vehicles daily, officials said. It’s expected to have a 100-year service life. The new span height enables tall ships to pass beneath its 135-foot clearance. The Skanska-Corman-McLean (SCM) Joint Venture led the construction and created 500 jobs.
“This monumental bridge underscores MGX’s capability in supporting high-profile, essential infrastructure projects across the country,” said Keith Poff, MGX’s vice president and general manager. “It was a fantastic experience for all of our team, and I wanted to congratulate everyone on this amazing career-defining feat.”