1 1. 42 metre long NU girders being installed at the Kicking Horse Canyon Sheep Bridge. Ten new girders were installed in three days. / Il a fallu approximativement trois jours pour poser dix poutres NU de béton préfabriqué.
SHEEP BRIDGE, KICKING HORSE CANYON PHASE 4
New infrastructure improves road safety amid big mountain views By/Par Clayton Murray The Kicking Horse Canyon Project
Phase 4 improves safety on this dramatic and breathtaking stretch of the Trans-
Canada Highway by replacing two lanes with four lanes and realigning curves to accommodate 100km/h driving speed.
Phase 4 lies between the previously completed Phase 3 West (Golden Hill to West Portal) and Phase 1 (Yoho Bridge) sections. Now under construction, it will: • Upgrade approximately 4.8 kilometres of highway through the most challenging section of the canyon to improve safety. • Realign 13 curves and widen the highway to four lanes with median barrier and wider shoulders to accommodate cyclists. • Mitigate rock fall and avalanche hazards with bridges, rock catchment ditches and other measures. • Add wildlife exclusion fencing and wildlife passage opportunities to reduce vehicle-animal collisions.
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IMAGINEERING - SPRING/SUMMER 2022
The Phase 4 “Canyon” section is the last and most difficult and challenging part of the entire Kicking Horse Canyon Project. A concept plan was developed as a “reference design” to accompany the written specifications in the design-build contract. The improvements were to be made with a view to safety, cost-effectiveness and minimal disruption to highway users and the community. The total project cost for Phase 4 is estimated at $601 million, with the Government of Canada contributing $215 million. The project design includes 42-metre (137.8 feet) long, 2-metre (6.5 feet) tall precast concrete NU bridge girders. These were the longest and heaviest girders ever to ship from Richmond, BC to Golden, BC and required special permitting and transporting with manned steering dollies. Weighing 64,800 kilograms (64.8 tonnes) each, the girders were installed with two, 275 Ton crawler cranes working at about 85% capacity. The Sheep Bridge is the first structure one encounters travelling east and will be the first bridge deck cast in May 2022.
