The team hit the halfway mark replacing the existing McGrath Creek Bridge on State Highway 73. The old bridge was only wide enough to accommodate a single traffic lane and is located on a sharp bend with some challenging geometry, which made the old bridge difficult to navigate.

 

The construction of the bridge’s new super structure includes extended the existing concrete abutments. The team ran into geotechnical challenges during construction, our team worked quickly with WSP to develop an alternate abutment design which included a combination of vertical micro piles to the underlying bedrock, along with some horizontal drilled anchors.

 

The old steel beam and timber deck is being replaced with nine double hollow core prestressed concrete beams. The individual beams are tied together with transverse, post tensioned steel tendons.

 

The pavement is being upgraded on either side of the new bridge with the approaches being reshaped to make the new bridge easier to navigate. The new bridge and approaches will also be fitted with upgraded guardrail.

 

The most challenging part of this project has been the staging of the works, to ensure that a single lane has been maintained at all times, as this is only one of three critical link roads connecting the East and West Coasts.