Abstract Manager

The Chehalis Bridge serves the Morris Valley Road to cross the Chehalis River, 6 km North of HWY 7 and around 17 km West of Agassiz, British Columbia. The bridge is the only connection between the communities on both sides of the river and an important local link for the Sasquatch Mountain Resort and many campgrounds in the neighborhood. The over 70-years old timber through truss structure was due for replacement because of its deteriorated condition, limited roadway width, and modern hydraulic requirements. The construction method for the given span arrangement of the new bridge with one major main span and two symmetrical but relatively short side spans was decisive for the type of the new structure. Since a total traffic closure of the old bridge was not an option, the new bridge had to be realigned in parallel configuration right next to the old bridge. The new Chehalis Bridge is a firm commitment to bridges specially designed to address climate change. The integral nature of the Chehalis Bridge paired with the extraordinary clearance envelope for the river is evidence that challenging design criteria can create great opportunities for innovation. The big picture approach of combining design, fabrication, construction, and demolition in one big package and specifically looking for synergy effects guaranteed best cost and schedule performance. The new bridge with its lightweight and slender superstructure can be considered as an elegant and rational solution to bridge the Chehalis River. The presentation will describe the design and construction aspects of the new bridge in context to modern design philosophies as well as the engineering tasks and logistics behind the demolition of the old structure.