Since 1913, the High Level Bridge has provided an important transportation link for the citizens of Edmonton serving as a centrepiece around which the City has grown. Over the years, continued weathering as well as exposure to de-icing salts from the road deck has resulted in corrosion to thestructural steel elements and deterioration to the concrete piers, abutments and pedestal foundations. To undertake the necessary rehabilitation measures innovations were required to overcome accessibility problems, removal of a lead based coating system and to meet an ambitious schedule imposed on both the design and construction phases of the project. As the rehabilitation work is currently on-going, the discussions in this paper will be limited to those phases of the project prior to construction startup. The intent is to report on the salient aspects of the project by describing the problems encountered and the solutions arrived at during the pre-construction phases. A brief summary of the bridges' history is followed by a discussion of the inspection, assessment and design activities for the sub and superstructure components of the bridge. Next, a description of the contract tendering and award process will present the important features of the contract documents as well as the events that enabled the project to start on time. This is followed by a discussion on the environmental constraints imposed on the project including the requirements to mitigate the impact of a complete bridge closure for 30 weeks. Finally, this paper will present some of the preliminary conclusions arrived at based on the early construction activities. (A)
Abstract