Golden Ears Bridge | Completed

[Canadian Mind]

So it is true that it isn't used as much elsewhere?

[SFUVancouver]

Regarding our prodigious use of concrete, it works.

Pre-stressed concrete is almost an entirely different material than the conventional poured-in-place variety. Wikipedia article.

We also don't have to deal with very much freeze-thaw in BC that can weaken concrete over time. Also, it is cheaper. More bridges for the same amount of money.

It isn't just us either. Pre-stressed concrete box girder bridges are being built all over the world.

Lastly, pre-stressed concrete bridges, especially cable-stayed bridges, are way lighter than their steel equivalents. The reduced pier footprint and foundation requirements translate into shorter construction schedules and I also would imagine it would broaden the number of viable crossing points up for consideration.

Engineers, am I on the right track?

[Stingray2004]

Some more from Flickr:

Looking Northward to Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge:



Looking southward toward Surrey/Langley:

[deasine]

wow the aerial shot looks beautiful

[mr.x]

is that a cranberry farm beside the bridge?

looks beautiful anyhow.

[excel]

This is a sweet project.

[worldwide]

one lower mainland roads project i truly believe we need.

[vanlaw]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

is that a cranberry farm beside the bridge?

looks beautiful anyhow.

No, it's a sewage treatment facility.

Up until about 9 years ago, the big lime plant directly to the east of the bridge was a big vacant piece of land that was termed "the lime pit" - used to party there a lot, lots of 4x4ing etc. Was actually a great place - unless the wind was blowing wrong way.

[Stingray2004]

A couple more...

[mr.x]

The bridge will be free of toll for the first month so that Translink can test out the tolling systems.



• Video Link



Golden Ears bridge: on budget, on time
Updated: Sat Apr. 05 2008 19:04:02

ctvbc.ca

Construction of the $800-million Golden Ears Bridge, which will span one kilometre and connect Langley and Pitt Meadows, reached the halfway point this week.

Translink Chair Dale Parker announced Saturday the project is on schedule and on budget, which means by the summer of 2009 there will be six lanes of cars and trucks, two lanes of bicycles and two lanes of pedestrians moving across the Fraser River.

It's a massive project that will also include 14 kilometres of new roadway, much of it elevated to cross highways and rail lines and improve transportation in the surrounding communities. Another 11.5 kilometres of local road reconstruction will be done.

The province says this is the first major improvement to Metro Vancouver's transportation system in 20 years - and more megaprojects are in the works, as the province forecasts that 1 million more people will move into the region in the next 25 years.

B.C. Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon turned out for Saturday's media preview of the site.

"I'm here as a tourist to take a look and to see how this project will complement the provincial vision," Falcon said.

Some highlights of the Golden Ears project:

- There will be 16 bridges, ramps and viaducts including the main river bridge.
- A total of 4,656 metres of structures will be built once the bridge is complete.
- The bridge is expected to spur the eventual growth of 700 new businesses in Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Surrey and Langley.
- The Golden Ears project is an adaptation of the Alex Fraser cable-stayed bridge, which sits further west on the Fraser River and connects Richmond and New Westminster with the municipality of Delta.

The Golden Ears megaproject, when completed, will knock at least 30 minutes off the time it currently takes to get from Langley to Pitt Meadows.

To recover costs, a toll of approximately $3 will be charged to drivers.

[hollywoodnorth]

Go Falcon Go!

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by hollywoodnorth

Go Falcon Go!

Too much credit....

[clooless]

What confuses me is that after poring over the maps the only "direct connection" between the TCH and the bridge that I can see is via 200th/201st Street, or via the 176th Street exit to the new mainline route. There are no ramps either westbound or eastbound that directly connect the TCH to the mainline route to the bridge.

[agrant]

Not quite sure what you mean with your last sentence. Isn't the 200th street overpass the main connection between the bridge and TCH? There are westbound and eastbound ramps there. You probably mean something else, but I can't figure it out.

[natelox]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

Regarding our prodigious use of concrete, it works.

Pre-stressed concrete is almost an entirely different material than the conventional poured-in-place variety. Wikipedia article.

We also don't have to deal with very much freeze-thaw in BC that can weaken concrete over time. Also, it is cheaper. More bridges for the same amount of money.

It isn't just us either. Pre-stressed concrete box girder bridges are being built all over the world.

Lastly, pre-stressed concrete bridges, especially cable-stayed bridges, are way lighter than their steel equivalents. The reduced pier footprint and foundation requirements translate into shorter construction schedules and I also would imagine it would broaden the number of viable crossing points up for consideration.?

Not all of this is true. Firstly, I would not say that pre-stressed concrete is an entirely different material. It is some-what different in its construction and because of that, its has the ability to span greater distances, but it is still subject to all the usual advantages (fire-resistant, durable) and disadvantages (heavy, porous) that any other form of concrete is subject to.

Secondly, while I cannot say in confidence that Vancouver is highly susceptible to freeze-thaw conditions, I can say that the theory behind it makes sense that Vancouver would in fact, be susceptible to it. Freeze-thaw description. Vancouver has very wet winters, and whenever the temperature drops below freezing we have the potential for freeze-thaw problems. Now, Vancouver doesn't drop below freezing that often, but the potential definitely exists and should be considered in design.

Pre-stressed concrete is not lighter than steel. I cannot speak to the design requirement for a bridge, but if we look at a normal building with a live load requirement of 40lbs/sqft, concrete weighs 75lbs/sqft. The amount of extra concrete and rebar you need to support the weight of the concrete itself makes it inefficient. The ratio of dead load to live load is 1.875. If you look at wood, or steel, it can be as low as 0.25 (For every one pound of steel or wood, it can support four pounds of load) Steel is much faster to build too.

So why do we use concrete? I think it is because it is a local product. Steel is not manufactured anywhere near BC. We can get concrete from Granville Island (or Richmond, in the case of the Golden Ears Bridge). The pieces are floated down the Fraser River on a barge which allows huge sections to be moved easily without much energy or disruption to local roads. We have the infrastructure, the knowledge, the trades and the material. It is representative of the regional vernacular. If you want steel just for the sake of wanting steel, well you may be looking at it from the wrong perspective.

[clooless]

Originally Posted by agrant

Not quite sure what you mean with your last sentence. Isn't the 200th street overpass the main connection between the bridge and TCH? There are westbound and eastbound ramps there. You probably mean something else, but I can't figure it out.

Yes, that's what I mean. I don't understand why all the bridge traffic from the TCH will transit via 200th Street when the mainline highway (the road from 176th Street direct to the bridge) being built for the new bridge passes directly under the TCH, yet no ramps will connect the mainline route to the TCH. That is going to throw an enormous amount of traffic onto 200th/201st Street.

[bugsy]

So typical in Metro Vancouver -- they spend money to build a bridge that will end up clogging streets. Why do they not directly connect Hwy 1 to the bridge without any lights -- don't they want to move traffic? Its pretty stupid if they aren't doing that. Stuipid but typical. Just like the overpass on Russ Baker Way in Richmond -- they came up with this whole system of overpasses basically to make traffic worse and unconnected. No forsight. Weird.

[agrant]

Originally Posted by clooless

Yes, that's what I mean. I don't understand why all the bridge traffic from the TCH will transit via 200th Street when the mainline highway (the road from 176th Street direct to the bridge) being built for the new bridge passes directly under the TCH, yet no ramps will connect the mainline route to the TCH. That is going to throw an enormous amount of traffic onto 200th/201st Street.

Wouldn't you only need one option to get to the bridge from the highway? It's the most direct route from the highway, and remember that 200th street will be 6 lanes - same as the bridge.

[SpongeG]

they have been making big changes in langley in prep for the bridge 200th and that other road have really changed -i don't know the cross street but if yopu are familiar with langley its the one with wendys and mcdonalds etc on it goes out to ft langley... east/west road...

I don't think it will be that bad - i think they planned it as a local route to connect surrey/langley and maple ridge only

[clooless]

Originally Posted by agrant

Wouldn't you only need one option to get to the bridge from the highway? It's the most direct route from the highway, and remember that 200th street will be 6 lanes - same as the bridge.

Yes, but they're simply pushing bridge traffic from the TCH onto an arterial road while building a new highway just to the west that will not connect to the TCH. I don't get it.