Thirty-nine Year Old Bridge To Be Replaced

FTLComm - Tisdale - Wednesday, May 29, 2002

Last Friday the Department of Highways closed highway #3 North of Tisdale as it was discovered that the piling supporting the bridge were dangerously deteriorated This came as no surprise as these pile type bridges have a life expectancy of thirty-five years and this one was installed thirty-nine years ago. Unlike the bridge near Valparaiso which was rebuilt last year this one is not being replaced as

a matter of preventative maintenance, this one was dangerous and with the size of the loads passing over it the Department was not going to take any chances after the collapse of a similar structure at Turtleford last year. The piles are treated logs and in time they are simply unable to resist the affects of long term immersion in water and lose their strength. The plan will be in future bridges to put steel pipe piles in future bridges but this one will be rebuilt using conventional timber.

Temporary piles have been assembled in the ditch and today a crane will be in place as the they begin lifting the deck and start the process of replacing the piles under the bridge. A new set of automated street lights will soon be in place and the bridge will be opened to single lane traffic as soon as it is repaired sufficiently for safe use. We will keep you posted with this project and give you some updates as the work continues.