Province Moves Forward on $50-Million Steel Bridge Program

TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC WORKS--Province Moves Forward on $50- Million Steel Bridge Program

They were made for the days of horse and buggies, but survive in an era of 40-tonne trucks.

Now, Nova Scotia is going to replace about 66 of its aging single-lane steel truss bridges through a five-year, $50-million replacement program.

"Our steel truss bridge program will enhance the safety of Nova Scotians and set the stage for continued economic growth across the province," said Michael Baker, Minister of Transportation and Public Works, as he announced the bridge program at the site of the Petite Riviere bridge in Lunenburg Co. "We are building a strong future for Nova Scotians."

"Our plan is detailed and structured," he added. "We are going to replace our steel truss bridges based on condition, traffic flow and operational factors."

Some of Nova Scotia's 200 steel truss bridges date back to the 1880s. They remain structurally sound and are maintained and inspected annually. Typically, however, they are single-lane structures, and were not built for today's traffic needs.

Mr. Baker estimates his department will spend about $4 million this year on steel truss bridges, $7 million next year, with the remaining dollars spent equally in the last three years of the program.

"The natural disaster of March 31 delayed this program and altered our needs, as the flooding washed out and destroyed some steel truss bridges," said Mr. Baker. "However, we expect to begin replacing about four to eight bridges this year, pending regulatory approvals."

Depending on the size of bridge, and the type of water crossing, permits and approvals are needed from regulatory agencies, including the provincial departments of Natural Resources and Environment and Labour, as well federal departments such as Fisheries and Oceans and Environment. Design, approval and construction can take from one to two years.

Mr. Baker said department staff will encourage similar designs in order to make the program more cost-effective.

The government has increased capital spending on highways, roads and bridge infrastructure by more than $60 million since 2000-01, to $106 million this fiscal year.

However, Mr. Baker said the need across the province remains high. "While we've increased our spending on roads and bridges, reversing years of cuts, the challenge remains large," he said. "We won't be able to build all bridges at once, but we are proceeding on a systematic approach."

The Department of Transportation and Public Works' highways division manages more than 23,000 kilometres of roads in Nova Scotia. It maintains an inventory of 3,900 bridges and operates seven provincial ferries. Staff provide services from four district offices located in Bridgewater, Bedford, Truro and Sydney.

Note: Following are facts on bridges in Nova Scotia:

• Department of Transportation and Public Works is responsible for operating and maintaining more than 3,800 bridges on 23,000 kilometres of road in Nova Scotia.

• There are about 200 steel truss bridges in Nova Scotia, typically single-lane bridges built between 1880 and 1940.

• With regular repair and maintenance, steel truss bridges last more than 100 years.

• The flooding of March 31 destroyed and damaged about 49 bridges in Nova Scotia, including six major bridges, two of which were steel truss.

• Replacement decisions for steel truss bridges are based on condition, traffic volumes and operational factors.

• The Steel Truss Bridge Replacement Program is valued at $50 million over five years. In year one, funding will total $4 million; in year two, $7 million; and, in years three, four and five $13 million per year.

• Cost of a replacement bridge depends on length and alignment. However, replacement prices for concrete bridges range between $1 million and $2 million.

• Due to tight deadlines, bridges in the first two years of the program were required to meet certain criteria. They had to: sit on the priority list; require minimal alignment and minimal detours; require manageable permit requirements; and require a straight forward design.

• In addition to the steel truss program, the province is spending about $22 million this year on all other bridges in Nova Scotia, on everything from maintenance to major repair projects.

• The province has a formal inspection protocol that is undertaken by certified bridge inspectors.

• The province has a dedicated bridge inspection team, with about six full-time certified bridge inspectors in the field plus four bridge engineers at district offices and three structural engineers in Halifax.

• About 20 Department of Transportation and Public Works employees are certified bridge inspectors and more are being trained each year. Certification is a result of an intensive two- week training program developed by the American federal highway administration. There is no Canadian equivalent.

• Bridges in Nova Scotia receive a major inspection every two to five years; area staff conduct visual inspections annually on bridges.

• The department plans to purchase a new electronic bridge management system to track and manage inspections, inventory, expenses and all other major data.