Buckling bridge now stabilized
Unclear if structure can be repaired: province
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/08/2009 (5997 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The buckling bridge spanning the Red River at St. Adolphe has stabilized to the point that provincial staff can begin assessing the extent of the damage and whether the structure can be repaired, a provincial official said Thursday.
The Pierre Delorme Bridge was closed Aug. 21 after maintenance crews noticed problems with the structure’s integrity. One of the piers suddenly sank more than three metres and caused the bridge deck to buckle.
Ron Weatherburn, head of construction and maintenance with Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation (MIT), said the government still doesn’t know whether the bridge can be fixed or if an entirely new structure will have to be built.
But the situation has now stabilized to the point that crews can begin to dismantle damaged sections and assess the damage to the rest of the bridge. "We believe it will take at least two weeks to dismantle the sections of the bridge that have failed," Weatherburn told reporters.
Crews will use robotic equipment and controlled charges to separate the damaged sections of the bridge. They will then stabilize the riverbank in the area and examine the remainder of the bridge to see if it is salvageable.
"The question remains right now, ‘Can we repair the existing bridge or do we need a new structure?’ That’s certainly going to partially depend on how this first step goes, and then we’ll move ahead with a strategy after that," Weatherburn said.
He could not say how long the process would take or how much it might cost.
"The ground continues to be unstable out there. We still have movement of the two piers to the west. Anything is possible at this point. Right now we are hopeful that we can save the majority of the bridge, but it is an unstable bank out there right now and we are proceeding with caution and with safety in mind for everybody out there."
The closure of the bridge means that motorists cannot access St. Adolphe from Highway 75.
larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca