The Wolf Trap Bridge will soon connect the two main facilities at the Wolf Creek National Park for The Performing Arts in Vienna, Virginia. The Barns and Filene Center have long been separated by a narrow road with no sidewalks and had for many years been a safety concern not only for local travel but also for the roughly 500,000 visitors to the park each season in this National Capital Region. So as of August 2011 and after 8 years of working to secure funding, the project is being realized through a total of over $3.5 million released by the Federal Highway Administration.

Many state agencies are shifting towards nighttime construction. Nighttime construction mitigates the impact of construction operations on the traveling public, shortens the duration of construction operations and reduces interruptions to construction activities. Such was the case in the lift performed for the construction of the Wolf Trap Bike/Pedestrian Bridge over the Dulles Access and Toll Road from Wolf Trap National Park.

Under nighttime illumination shortly after midnight on April 3rd, Phil Garber, Product Advisor for The Rigging Box, Inc., of Lorton, was one of a few of those working through the night dedicated to the safe and successful lift of the first and largest of three bridge sections measuring 170 feet at a weight of 140,000 pounds.

The Rigging Box supplied FIRST® FHPZ 70 High Performance Roundslings, each measured 40 feet in length, rated at 70,000 lbs vertical, but each weighing only 42 pounds. The Inspectable Roundsling®, slings with a transparent Clear Cover®, was developed to make it possible for riggers to inspect the load bearing core yarns, advancement in lifting safety. And Wolf Trap area residents gathered before sunrise to watch the lift and celebrate a safer passage.

Selina Conrad, founder and owner of The Rigging Box, was one of the first to become a part of the FIRST® team, recognizing the value in offering her customers the latest and safest lifting and rigging products. Phil Garner said that he was proud to be a part of this project. “It was so well planned and I was so impressed by the overall organization.” The Rigging Box also manufactured 20 inch wide by 4 feet Edge Lifters® for edge protection.