For over 110 years, the 9th Avenue Southeast Bridge became a heavily travelled bridge and kept major communities in the heart of Calgary connected. Today, the city’s first vehicle tied-arch bridge stands proudly where the previous one was.

Prior to construction, the thoroughfare over the Elbow River was used by approximately 20,000 vehicles per day, so during the replacement of the structure, PCL ensured an alternate route was provided for vehicles and re-routing of pedestrians. Our team took on the design-build process of the temporary bridge and successfully ensured that traffic could flow to and from the city’s downtown. 

Tied-arch bridges are beautifully designed.

Prior to the installation of the 50-metre arches, PCL utilized laser-scanning software to confirm the as-built geometry prior to arch erection. The team combined the digital models of the arches and site survey to virtually assemble the bridge exactly how the team would on site. Confirming the as-built geometry prior to arch installation on site was extremely beneficial to the project as it reduced safety concerns and quality risks while improving the construction schedule.