Coast Meridian Overpass

The Coast Meridian Overpass is a 580 m four-lane cable stayed bridge in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, crossing an active Canadian Pacific rail yard. Construction began in March 2008 and the bridge opened on time to 4 lanes of traffic with lanes for pedestrians and bicycles as well.

The design challenge for the bridge was crossing 50 parallel sets of tracks in the CPR rail yard without disrupting train traffic or rail operations. The solution was to install concrete piers at strategic locations throughout the rail yard, then build the bridge in sections, feeding it forward across the piers until it reached the other side.

The four-span bridge was push-launched for clear spans of up to 125 meters with no intermediate supports. Push-launch is a system whereby the structure is assembled on a roller launch-pad at one end and then pushed out over the rail yard with hydraulic jacks. The sixth and final span was conventionally placed using a crane.

Solution

ABC Precast and Ready Mix of Nanaimo, BC, was awarded the contract to produce the bridge deck panels for the Overpass. The order was for 1077 panels (9500 m²). This would encompass pouring 11 panels per day, six days a week for over 5 months beginning in April, 2009.

As the only manufacturer of silica fume in Western Canada with experience in large bridge projects with demanding schedules we became the supplier of choice to ABC Precast. We supplied over 40 tonnes of high quality silica fume when it was needed, where it was needed and for the price it was quoted. AJ Hustins, General Manager, ABC Precast, was pleased with the supply, consistency and flowability of Con-Fume Silica Fume for the panel pours and the technical expertise provided.