A section of the Trans-Canada Highway through the mountains of British Columbia (BC), which had been washed away in torrential rains and landslides in November last year, was this week restored thanks to a temporary steel modular bridge from international bridge supplier Acrow, installed in adverse conditions by contractor Coquitlam Ridge Constructors.
The single-lane, 79-metre-long bridge at Jackass Mountain in the Fraser Canyon near Falls Creek opened to traffic on 24 January, partially restoring the three-lane highway that acts as the main road link to the rest of Canada.
Acrow said the site had extremely steep terrain and was prone to geotechnical hazards, requiring a complex design and construction process to ensure worker safety. Coquitlam Ridge Constructors also had to work within environmental constraints and cultural protocols during the restoration of the link.
That entailed extensive site preparation, including stabilisation work and road and bank reconstruction. The bridge was installed by crane on 5 January with a partial launching nose.
Record snowfalls and avalanches caused delays to the bridge’s opening for traffic.
Ken Scott, president of Acrow Canada, said: “We are honored to have been selected to take part in this project to restore a vital transportation link in the aftermath of the unprecedented climate events in November.”
