Port Mann Bridge
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The Port Mann Bridge is a steel tied arch bridge that spans the Fraser River connecting Coquitlam to Surrey in British Columbia near Vancouver. The bridge consists of three spans with an orthotropic deck carrying five lanes of Trans-Canada Highway traffic, with approach spans of three steel plate girders and concrete deck. The total length of the Port Mann is 2093 m (6867 ft.), including approach spans. The main span is: 366 m (1200 ft.) plus the two 110 m (360 ft.) spans on either side.
It is the only fixed link in the Greater Vancouver Regional District that does not have at least one bus route crossing its length. This and the fact that the northbound approach span merges three lanes of traffic into one means that the Port Mann Bridge is highly congested during rush hour.
Due to the heavy traffic westbound on Highway 1 from the east approaching the bridge (often backed up towards Langley), proposals have called for a new bridge to the south of the original, and widening westbound Highway 1 for higher capacity. Congestions can also occur on the eastbound lanes, often due to accidents. The current proposal of twinning the bridge and widening the Trans-Canada highway from Surrey to the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing in Vancouver is controversial. It has been opposed by most local municipalities, environmental organizations and urban planners. It is held that doubling the highway capacity is a short-sighted plan which will only lead to twice as many cars in the near future. Many groups urge the Minister of Transportation, Kevin Falcon, to consider more sustainable solutions to reducing congestion, like rapid transit lines, and greatly improved bus routes. Thus far, public forums have left questions unanswered, and alternatives unconsidered. Many citizens and citizen groups have called on the government to open up the proposal to public scrutiny.
The Ministry of Transportation contends that increased congestion and pollution lowers quality of life for residents and workers, and increases costs to move goods and services. It is also projected that the Port of Vancouver will see a quadrupling of activity by the year 2020. Coupled with population growth, this economic growth means more pressure on regional transportation infrastructure, such as highways, SkyTrain and intercity buses. The existing roads and bridges do not support this forecast population and economic growth.
Environmentalists have pointed out that the twinning of the Port Mann has less to do with allieviating congestion than has been suggested, but is rather motivated by a governmental goal to increase Vancouver's port share by twofold over the next decade. More lanes on the bridge means easier access for trucks between the Port and Canadian routes inland, and the I-5 corridor south. This is especially important to port traffic since the port does not operate at night, when the roads are largely empty. Since the privitization of CN Rail in 1992, it is politically easier to subsidize trucking indirectly through road building, than rail directly through the input of funds. The result is short sighted planning, which operates against the goals of reducing CO2 emissions, and encouraging alternatives to individual car based transportation.
[edit] History
The Port Mann Bridge opened on June 12, 1964, originally carrying four lanes. At the time of construction, it was the most expensive piece of highway in Canada.
The first “civilian” to drive across the bridge was CKNW reporter Marke Raines. He was not authorized to cross, so he drove quickly.[citation needed]
In 1994, Buckland & Taylor Ltd., in conjunction with Geomatrix Inc. of San Francisco and MacLeod Geotechnical of North Vancouver, performed a seismic evaluation and prepared recommendations for the bridge retrofit. This work included liquefaction and ground movement assessment, dynamic testing of the main span and south approach span, dynamic analysis for multiple earthquake time histories, and push-over analysis for typical concrete bents.
In 1998, Buckland & Taylor Ltd. evaluated various options, including adding lanes or twinning, during a study of ways of increasing the capacity of the bridge. In 2000, Buckland & Taylor Ltd. designed the 5 lane widening, which was constructed in 2001.
In 2001, the company completed the design and preparation of tender documents. Due to budget restraints, the construction of the retrofit has been put on hold by the owner. Next year they investigated fatigue mitigation options for the approach span girders.[citation needed]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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| Road bridges: | Alex Fraser Bridge | Arthur Laing Bridge | Burrard Street Bridge | Cambie Street Bridge | Dinsmore Bridge | Dollarton Bridge | Dunsmuir Viaduct | Georgia Viaduct | Golden Ears Bridge | Granville Street Bridge | Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing | Knight Street Bridge | Lions' Gate Bridge | Moray Bridge | No. 2 Road Bridge | Oak Street Bridge | Pattullo Bridge | Pitt River Bridge | Port Mann Bridge | Queensborough Bridge | Sea Island Bridge | Westham Island Bridge | |
| Road-rail bridges: | Derwent Way Bridge | |
| Rail bridges: | CNR Bridge | Fraser River Swing Bridge | Marpole Bridge | Second Narrows Bridge | Skybridge | |
| Pedestrian bridges: | Capilano Suspension Bridge | Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge | |
| Road tunnels: | Cassiar Tunnel | George Massey Tunnel | |
| Rail tunnels: | B.C. Railway Tunnel | CNR Tunnel | Douglas Tunnel | Dunsmuir Tunnel | Lonsdale Tunnel | |
| Crossings of the Fraser River | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Upstream Golden Ears Bridge |
Port Mann Bridge |
Downstream Fraser River Swing Bridge |
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