[Vancouver] New Port Mann Bridge and Highway 1 Expansion

[deasine]

Premier Gordon Campbell (right) and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Kevin Falcon officially launch construction of new Port Mann Bridge and unveil the new bridge design.
Photograph by: Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun


METRO VANCOUVER -- The provincial government announced today it will build a $2.46 billion 10-lane bridge to replace the aging Port Mann Bridge.

The bridge, which will be built to accommodate rapid bus service and future rapid transit, will be financed by tolls over the 40-year tenure of the contract.

Commuters will pay $3 each way to access the new bridge, although there will be concessions for truckers, bus and taxi drivers, Transport Minister Kevin Falcon said.

The bridge is expected to be built by 2013.

The province had originally planned to twin the Port Mann, but said it would be cheaper to build a new bridge and save on maintenance costs.

The project also includes widening Highway 1, adding two lanes each way on the east side of the bridge and an extra lane in both directions on the west side.

Premier Gordon Campbell said the new bridge over the Fraser River will create 800 jobs and cut commuting time by one-third.

"A single span will clear the bottlenecks that have plagued commuters for years and years," he said.

Falcon said new infrastructure is needed to accommodate another million more people in Metro Vancouver in 20 years.

The capital cost of the project, including upgrades to 37 km of Highway 1 on either side of the bridge, is approximately $2.46 billion, the province said. The total cost, including operating and maintenance, rehabilitation and interest, will be released when the contract is finalized but is expected to be approximately $3.3 billion.

Of that, the province is financing $1.15 billion in the form of a repayable loan, which is beingmatched by bank financing. The proponent is putting forward their own equity to pay for the remaining $1 billion, the release said.

NDP MLA Bruce Ralston said the deal to build a new bridge - at a higher cost - was made after plans were announced to twin the bridge.

"It seems this was negotiated after the contract was awarded," he said, adding other bidders weren't offered the same opportunity.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Source: The Vancouver Sun

Additional Images and Renderings

Premier Gordon Campbell's Announcement
Source: Glenn Baglo from the Vancouver Sun


Premier Gordon Campbell
Source: Glenn Baglo from the Vancouver Sun


Existing Port Mann
Source: Glenn Baglo from the Vancouver Sun


Pile Driver, officially starting construction on the Port Mann Bridge
Source: Glenn Baglo from the Vancouver Sun


3D Rendering of existing Port Mann
Source: Screen Grab from the Vancouver Sun


3D Rendering of new Port Mann
Source: Screen Grab from Vancouver Sun


3D Rendering of new Port Mann
Source: Screen Grab from Vancouver Sun


3D Rendering of new Port Mann
Source: Screen Grab from Vancouver Sun


Toll Plaza and Approach to Port Mann
Source: Screen Grab from Vancouver Sun


Toll Plaza and Approach to Port Mann
Source: Screen Grab from Vancouver Sun


RapidBus Service on Port Mann
Source: Screen Grab from Vancouver sun

More information and renderings will be posted when they become available

[ardecila]

The existing arch looks way better than the cable-stayed new design. Seriously, I'm getting tired of those. They were cool back in the 80s, and they still can be if they are given an interesting design (like the Zakim Bridge in Boston). But most of the attempts are just boring.

Nobody builds arch bridges anymore, even though they are jaw-droppingly beautiful. The only recent one I've seen is the Hoover Dam Bypass outside Vegas.

[twoNeurons]

Problem is... arch bridges are more expensive for large spans.

Suspension bridges used to be popular for large spans... but they were expensive too. Cable-stay bridges are cheaper to build than suspension bridges, but can't span the large distances.

They're a happy medium... and they just so happen to be perfect for the distances in Vancouver.

If the Lion's gate were built today, I can almost guarantee that it would be built as a cable-stay.

edit: I admit, my favorite bridges in metro Vancouver are "Lion's Gate, Skybridge, Alex Fraser" in that order. I will reserve judgement on the new Port Mann until I see more clear renders.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by ardecila

The existing arch looks way better than the cable-stayed new design. Seriously, I'm getting tired of those. They were cool back in the 80s, and they still can be if they are given an interesting design (like the Zakim Bridge in Boston). But most of the attempts are just boring.

Vancouver is a heavily active seismic zone, they didn't pick which bridge to build based on aesthetics or the latest bridge building fads...

[ryobi]

I have GOT to get down there and take some pics

[SpongeG]

get down where and take pics of what?

[alexjon]

Not to be a jerk, but why can't they build this with fewer piers?

[agrant]

Is there a structural engineer in the house?

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by alexjon

Not to be a jerk, but why can't they build this with fewer piers?

I'd imagine the piers start where the cable-stay ends. For them to do it with fewer piers, you'd need larger pillars.

[agrant]

I guess you also have to consider the curved portion of the bridge. Might be difficult to use cables from the towers there. The bridge would have to be completely straight to do that I think.

[03SVTcobra]

Why is the bridge divided into 2 /3 / 3 / 2 lanes??

[ardecila]

This is common for major highway bridges today... the central lanes are for through traffic, while the outer lanes are for regional traffic. It also allows for greater flexibility with road maintenance or major accidents, where all traffic does not have to shut down.