Planners expect the new North Bridge to be ready for traffic by July.
Crews building the town’s new bridge were busy last week installing 33 girders that make up the base of the bridge roadway. Soon to come will be a concrete base and then pavement that make up the bridge top.
Ponoka News was granted access to the construction site Thursday, April 21 to document the girder installation, which was contracted to Eagle Builders.
It took two days of heavy lifting from a specialized Mammoet crane with crews from Volker Stevin and Mammoet conducting the installation. Site engineer Nolan Rettie for Lex 3, the engineering firm hired to plan the project, said the project has gone relatively smoothly.
The bridge design is made up of three spans with 11 girders on each span. Those girders hold more than a literal tonne of weight with the bridge designed to hold up to an 80-tonne truck compared to the current bridge, which restricts vehicle weights to three-tonnes.
That strength is made possible with 39,000 kilograms of reinforced steel in the 300 cubic metres of concrete. There are two tiers each with seven steel pier piles and two specially shaped concrete abutments each with 10 steel piers.
The bridge is built to last, said Rettie. Between the piers and rip rap rocks on the banks — to prevent erosion — to the concrete girders, the bridge brings with it many years of life. Rettie added he is pleased with Eagle Builders product. “The quality of their girders is fantastic.”
The bridge is expected to have a lifespan of 75 years or more.
“The project is going really smoothly. It’s on time and on budget,” added Rettie.
Engineers and builders had to also ensure they met environmental standards when doing pier work in the river. Rettie says builders cannot conduct work in-stream between April 16 and June 30 to allow for fish habitat to be undisturbed. This was one of the reasons the piers were put in earlier on in the year.
An exciting part of the bridge plan includes a wide two and half metre sidewalk compared to the one and half metre sidewalk on the existing bridge. This will allow cyclists and pedestrians to be on the sidewalk at the same time, something not easily done on the current bridge.
With the extra weight capabilities also gives emergency vehicles such as pumper trucks access to the Riverside portion of town rather than having to take Highway 53.
When ready, the existing bridge is expected to be dismantled sometime in August.
Path parking remains the same
Parking for the walking path will stay in the same spot.
Residents who enjoy the walking trail will still be able to use the path and park on the east side of the Battle River with the current roadway acting as an access lane for parking.
A path will lead to the new road where a crosswalk equipped with a solar crosswalk signal and lights will allow pedestrians access to the north side of the trail.
As for the bottom of Chicken Hill, the intersection of 46 Street and 50 Avenue will see the installation of a four-way stop and zebra crosswalk.