December 2, 2018
In the new Aspen Trails neighbourhood of Sherwood Park, Alberta (near Edmonton), a handsome Bowstring Truss Bridge sits quietly, reaching across a drainage channel to a future area of the development. Take a 360° video tour of this bridge >>
Sure, it has an elegant, 450 mm camber curved design with vertical pickets and a smart black enamel factory paint job. And, yes, the railings are 1.37 m high to keep cyclists safely on board, and the decking is a long-lasting treated timber. It also has design service loading for CAT-297D loaders and one-ton trucks.
However, the most important feature of all is that it was an efficient solution. The AIL /Algonquin Bridge Team worked very closely with our project partners to ensure the bridge met both the aesthetic and budgetary requirements.
Pedestrian bridge replacement process began a year before installation
The structural consultant on the project, Geometrix Group Engineering, had previous experience with The AIL Group and Algonquin’s bridges. We had made them aware of our various bridge options, like truss styles, finishes, railing types, decking, architectural lighting and more.
About a year in advance of construction, we met with the project partners to discuss the project. A short time later, we came back with a conceptual sketch and a budget estimate to design and supply the superstructure. A little back and forth and some adjustments here and there and we found the sweet spot between attractive design and economy that met the project requirements.
Fast forward a year to when the order was placed. The prefabricated superstructure arrived on a single flatbed trailer and was installed in half a day, during a light snowfall.
