By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: June 30, 2012
If it wasn’t for the new signs posted by the district, you would hardly notice a bridge over Eagle Run Drive in Brackendale.
Still, as much as $400,000 of tax payer’s money would be spent on construction of a new bridge on Eagle Run Drive over Dryden Creek in Brackendale.
Eagle Run road camouflages the bridge that lies on Eagle Run Drive, between Meadow Ave and Kingswood Road in Brackendale.
The money for the Eagle Run Bridge was budgeted from the 2012 Cheakamus Bridge Resurfacing project.
The former is at the risk of structural failure, while the Cheakamus River Bridge is not, staff noted in a recent report.
The staff recommendation comes from the 2012 inspection program which confirms that the Eagle Run Drive bridge must be replaced as soon as possible.
“The bridge was constructed with logs approximately 50 years ago,” the staff report says.
“The logs are deteriorating and there has been some sloughing at the abutments.”
In 2010, the district started a bridge maintenance and inspection program which stemmed from a recommendation in the Public Works Asset Management Plan.
Gygax Engineering Associates was retained to provide leadership and training to the district engineering and operations staff for all bridge related activities.
The program initially involved five bridges. During the spring 2012 inspection, three more bridges were added to the program: Dryden Road, Eagle Run Drive, and Third Avenue.
As part of the bridge inspection and maintenance program, larger scale repair and replacement projects were identified. The 2012 work plan includes resurfacing the Cheakamus River Bridge for an estimated cost of $400,000.
However, district staff is of the opinion that funds from Cheakamus bridge resurfacing project be transferred to the immediate design and construction of a new bridge on Eagle Run Drive.
Until the bridge is completed, staff plans to install a load rating signs to restrict vehicle loading up to three tonnes. A communication strategy is also being formed which will help inform residents of upcoming work and potential detours.
While all the details are not yet known regarding the Eagle Run Drive Bridge, it is necessary to begin work immediately, staff notes.
Preliminary cost estimates for the replacement work are estimated between $300,000 and $400,000; however these estimates will be refined as design work proceeds.
As part of its asset management plan, the district’s key bridges were assessed by Gygax Engineering Associates last year.
The bridges assessed include the Government Road bridge at Mamquam River, the Boulevard at Mashiter Creek, the Mamquam Road at Mashiter Creek, the Squamish Valley Road at Cheakamus River, and the Paradise Valley Road at Cheakamus River.
One of the firm’s recommendations was to replace the bridges over Cheakamus River as soon as possible.
Muriel Shephard says
Curious that the Eagle Run bridge is in such a bad way. It was only a few years ago, (shortly before Dryden extended north to reconnect with Government Road) that this bridge was repaired (or replaced?) one half at a time. Was this known to be a stop-gap measure at the time? As your article states, the load limit is new.