October 22, 2014
In the town of Bracebridge, Ontario, residents were bracing to say good-bye to their beloved historic landmark, the old McCutcheon Bridge. More than just a crossing, it was a bridge drenched in history and memories for the whole community. But the 1905 stone and concrete structure was showing the signs of more than a century of wear and it was time to replace it.
The steel prefabricated bridge is a change for the better
The old bridge needed a lot of upkeep in recent years and its narrow streambed opening was prone to cause flooding. The town opted for an easy-to-install Algonquin Modular Panel System. Its galvanized steel structure, anti-skid, epoxy-aggregate decking and 27.4 m span all promise many years of trouble-free service.
Modular Panel Bridge installed in three days
Once the site was prepared with new abutments alongside the old bridge, a local construction crew installed the new bridge in just three days with very little traffic disruption. It was also installed without a crane by launching it from one side to the other — a sight that drew many curious onlookers. Algonquin Bridge provided a site advisor, and a customized construction and launching strategy.
Bracebridge embracing a new Algonquin Bridge era
Marvelling at the speed and efficiency of the installation, those curious onlookers rallied around their new bridge — literally and figuratively — and have come to embrace it as the beginning of a new era. Gone but not forgotten, portions of the old bridge’s concrete railings have been saved for potential use as an on-site garden backdrop.
Related local article: New McCutcheon bridge open for business, old bridge gone forever »
