ALE installs 950 tonne bridge

Global heavy lift and transport company ALE completed the skidding, navigation and lifting manoeuvres on the 950 tonne main arch of the Walterdale Bridge replacement project in the city of Edmonton, the capital of Alberta, in Canada.

ALE was contracted by APJV (Acciona - Pacer Joint Venture) and began the skidding and navigation operations in November 2015, completing the lifting of the main arch in January 2016.

The monitored external ballasting system was used by ALE for modular pontoons. The skidding was performed by co-ordinating the skidshoes system located on land with the mooring system located on the barges. The mooring system was composed of four winches attached to the barge.

Once the skidding was completed, the arch was transported by two pontoons located on the interior supports along the North Saskatchewan River until they reached the final position. The arch was then positioned ready for vertical lifting, which was carried out using four lifting units in just over five hours.

ALE is expected to complete in the second and final lift in April 2016.

Álvaro Sáenz, ALE project manager, said, “Our multi-disciplinary and experienced team have been working in extreme conditions for many weeks, achieving high quality engineering and have completed these complicated manoeuvres in a timely manner. This is a challenging scope and despite the narrow time frame and frosty weather conditions, ALE completed this phase safely and on schedule.”

“The team worked tirelessly to complete the critical skidding, navigation and installation of the 950 tonne central arch necessary for the Walterdale Bridge replacement. We are very happy to have achieved this critical milestone,” said Pedro Martinez, Acciona project manager for the Walterdale Bridge Replacement Project.

The US$155 million replacement project involves the implementation of the first bridge of this type in the city of Edmonton, the company said. This modern structure, with two arches measuring 56 metres high, will replace the old Walterdale Bridge, which has served the city for over a century.