Bridges

Battle Creek Road Bridge Replacement

Location

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Saskatchewan

Expertise

Bridges

The Battle Creek Road is the most direct connection between the Saskatchewan and Alberta sides of Cypress Hill Interprovincial Park.

The road is considered a low volume road at less than 500 vehicles per day and is used seasonally (i.e. shut down for winter months). It is an important road for tourist routes to access destinations like the Fort Walsh National Historic Site, equestrian camping, fishing, fire escape and access for cattle grazing.

Two timber bridges cross the Battle Creek, both on the Saskatchewan side: The East Bridge and the West Bridge. After significant flooding in the area in the spring of 2010, the existing 15 m long x 4.2 m wide timber West Bridge required replacement.

Project Highlights

24.4m

length

6.0m

wide

Associated Engineering was commissioned to inspect and prepare a desktop study to investigate options to replace the West Bridge. This preliminary work led to the design and construction of the new 24.4 m long x 6.0 m wide single span West Bridge and a road grade raise. The use of modular elements and two steel girders was the efficient and affordable replacement solution for this remote low volume road.

The bridge substructure was constructed of driven steel piles with a precast concrete pile cap. The superstructure was constructed of two steel girders supporting precast concrete deck panels. The road grade raise was required so the bridge would be above the high water level. The road construction also included the construction of ditches to redirect the water off the road and prevent further erosion of the road and bridge.