December 2, 2018
The Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (NSTIR) has selected another large Algonquin Modular Panel Bridge from Algonquin Bridge for a replacement project in Margaree Centre, Cape Breton. The new 76.5 m span will replace an aging and badly damaged wooden pier structure.
Most cost-effective prefabricated bridge replacement solution
This type of steel bolted truss design is the most cost-effective solution to replace an old timber bridge with piers. In fact, this is the third recent Nova Scotia project to use our system. Previous installations were in Yarmouth County at Tusket River and Gavelton. Both of these projects were assembled and launched by Dexter Construction, the same contractor on the new Cranton Bridge project.
Additional camber added to standard modular bridge design
Although the steel bolted truss bridge comes with a standard pre-camber to counter the effects of deadload deflection, NSTIR required an increase in the camber to follow a set vertical curve. With some upfront design effort we were able to accommodate this. Engineering drawings have been submitted and approved. Installation is planned for the summer of 2019.
Quebec also uses this steel bridge system
The Ministère des Transports Quebec (MTQ) has also taken notice of this incredibly economical pre-cambered system and has specified it for both permanent and temporary crossings. One was for a 67.5 m detour bridge on Autoroute 40 in 2015. More recently, MTQ purchased two 100+ m systems to hold in inventory as part of their emergency preparedness strategy.
Bolted side trusses carry the prefabricated bridges applied loads
The heavy-duty connectable panels are bolted to top and bottom chord members to form the side trusses that carry the applied loads between abutments and intermediate piers.
- Friction grip, pre-tensioned bolting system
- Uses deeper 4.5 m long bolted side truss panels
- Clear spans of 100+ m
- Roadway widths of 4.2 m to 10.5 m
- Internal and cantilevered footwalks
