Acrow Provides Long-span Modular Steel Replacement for Ontario’s Thessalon River Bridge

Rapid installation lessens detour time for first responders in remote township  

(Toronto, Ontario) – Acrow, a leading international bridge engineering and supply company, is pleased to note one of its long-span modular steel Delta™ bridges was recently installed as a permanent replacement for the aging single-lane Thessalon River Bridge on Highway 638 in Rydal Bank, Ontario. After evaluating other options, it was decided a wider two-lane replacement was needed, and Acrow’s solution was selected to enable the best project outcome. The bridge was provided to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) through project contractor The Miller Group.

The replacement project posed several challenges. Although situated in a remote area, the bridge provides access for emergency vehicles, so a short construction time was considered critical, with a maximum 15-day closure of the bridge permitted. In addition, the work site had an extremely limited footprint. Steep slopes on both sides of the east bridge approach prohibited its use as a temporary laydown area, so components were shipped to a nearby quarry pit where, after sorting, they were transported by truck to the construction site. Because timing was so vital, a fleet of 22 trucks was used to ensure a coordinated, efficient offloading of bridging materials.

The long-span Delta solution has a length of 67.5 meters (221.5 feet) and a curb-to-curb width of 7.35 meters (24.1 feet) to accommodate two lanes of traffic, plus a cantilevered footwalk on one side. After site preparation including earthworks, foundation, unloading and preassembly of the Delta truss panels, the old bridge was removed, and assembly of the new bridge began on June 21. It was installed seven days later using a full cantilever launch, and jacked down onto its bearings, from a height of more than two meters, on June 30, opening to traffic on July 2.

The bridge has been designed with the capacity for two lanes of standard CL-625-ONT (64 metric tonnes) and pedestrian loading and was provided with an epoxy aggregate anti-skid coating.

“Acrow’s cost-effective Delta system provided the perfect solution to this project with extremely limited access and a tight installation timeframe,” said Betul Oliver, Acrow Canada’s Business Development Manager, Eastern Canada. “The speed of installation avoided the need for a detour structure, and kept the project on schedule and within budget.”

Gordon Scott, Vice President Business Development and Operations, Acrow Canada, added, “Acrow bridges are built to last, with a service life of 75 – 100 years. Assembled in days or weeks, our durable solutions utilize high-strength modular components and are an ideal option suitable for permanent or temporary bridging needs across a wide range of applications.”

About Acrow

Acrow has been serving the transportation and construction industries for more than 70 years with a wide range of modular steel bridging solutions for permanent, temporary, military and emergency use. Acrow’s extensive international presence includes leadership in the development and implementation of bridge infrastructure projects in over 150 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, please visit www.acrow.com