Powerline Creek and Cable Car Creek Culvert Replacement

Client: the BC Ministry of Transportation

McElhanney was retained to provide professional engineering services for a design-build culvert replacement project on Highway 37 for the Ministry of Transportation.

The project involved the replacement of 2 existing 3 metre diameter culverts over Powerline Creek and Cable Car Creek which were deteriorating and presenting a barrier to fish.

Powerline Creek required a 35 metre span steel girder bridge on spread footings due to geotechnical site conditions. The superstructure utilized a three girder system with precast ½ width composite deck panels and did not require a cast-in-place haunch over the girders.

Cable Car Creek was replaced with a 7.0 metre span Super-Cor arch culvert with cast-in-place footings founded on bedrock. The footings were doweled into bedrock, and the backfill requirements were modified to reduce the amount of excavation required.

The design process was fast-tracked to permit the fabrication of critical path components before the final design was completed resulting in successfully meeting the tight construction schedule windows.