November 2, 2009

RICHARD GILBERT

A jack hammer attached to an excavator works at the old Capilano Bridge replacement project.

Infrastructure

B.C.’s biggest stimulus project, Capilano Bridge replacement, well underway

RICHARD GILBERT

staff writer

The replacement of the old Capilano Bridge, which is also known as the “Blue Bridge”, is the largest single investment being undertaken in B.C. under the federal government’s Infrastructure Stimulus Fund.

The Old Capilano Bridge connecting North and West Vancouver is made up of two sections, with the first built in 1929 and the second in 1950.

The bridge is the oldest transportation infrastructure in the Lower Mainland to have gone without significant upgrades.

As part of the $40 million Marine Drive Transit Priority Project, the Blue Bridge is being replaced with a modern 3-lane bridge.

The project will provide an additional lane for public transit and help address congestion between Lions Gate Bridge and Taylor Way.

“Phase one of the project involves clearing of trees and the building of approaches to the detour bridge,” said Ministry of Transportation representative Mike Farynuk.

“This work is being done by local day labour forces, which uses equipment hired by the Ministry of Transportation.”

Sparker Construction is overseeing phase one of the project.

AM PM is undertaking land clearing, Ray’s Contracting is providing backhoe services and trucking.

Edgewater is doing the excavation.

“Phase two of the project, which will take place after the Olympics, involves sliding the existing bridge onto the detour alignment and abutments,” said Brad Scott, another government spokesperson.

“The old bridge will be utilized as a detour bridge during construction of the new bridge.”

Before the old bridge is demolished, it will be shifted to the north side of its existing location. It will act as a temporary detour structure, while the replacement structure is being built.

The supporting pier in the Capilano River was built by Surespan in August of this year, during an environmental window. Work on the abutments and approaches to the bridge have just started. The contract for paving the approaches will be awarded in the next few weeks.

RICHARD GILBERT

Surespan Construction Ltd. built a temporary in-stream pier next to the Old Capilano Bridge in August this year. The $900,000 temporary pier will be used to facilitate the slide-over of the Old Capilano Bridge which will be used as a detour during construction of the new Capilano Bridge.

“One thing that is unique about this project is the number of pedestrians and cyclists that use the bridge,” said Scott.

“We had to shut down sidewalks and facilitate these modes of transportation. There is a management plan in place to facilitate the closing of the westbound sidewalk. We are working with all stakeholders and the community to minimize the impact during construction.”

He said that one of the biggest challenges in the bridge’s construction is working with Terasen Gas, BC Hydro and Bell Canada to move complex utilities.

A main natural gas feed line has been turned off at each end of the old bridge.

Gas will be supplied to both sides of the bridge by back filling or supplying more gas from a different direction.

“Another challenge is making sure that two-lane traffic on this major corridor is maintained throughout construction,” said Scott.

The contract for the new $10 million bridge portion of the project will go out to tender in the late fall or early winter.

The bridge will be a piled structure that is 120 metres long.

Other details about the bridge are not yet known because the drawings are still being confirmed.

Construction of the new bridge will begin in Spring 2010 and is scheduled for substantial completion in the March 2011. The temporary bridge will be dismantled and moved from the site in the spring of 2011.

The east bound section of the bridge will remain as it is.

Rehabilitation of the original bridge structure would have been too costly and time consuming, due to extensive corrosion, the presence of lead paint and the need for on-going traffic management.

The Capilano River, swollen by a violent rainstorm, washed out a large section of Marine Drive and knocked out the old 1929 bridge in November 1949.

The flood doubled the width of the river bed leaving the original span untouched, but with nowhere to go.

The bridge was the only link between North and West Vancouver, so West Vancouver was cut off for 10 days.

A temporary Bailey Bridge was built by the 3 Field Squadron Royal Canadian Engineers north of the washed-out bridge until a new span was built.

The newer western span was built in 1950.

First Phase Consultants

Urban Systems Ltd (civil and structural), McElhanney Consulting Services (civil), Hatfield Consultants Ltd. (environmental) and EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd. (geotechnical).

Print | Email | Comment