HRM & CN NEWS RELEASE
Weight Restrictions Placed on Five Rail Cut Bridges
(Wednesday, October, 28, 2009) - Upon advice from CN, Halifax Regional Municipality will implement regulations restricting the maximum vehicle weights permitted on five bridges over the rail cut in the South End of Halifax. CN provided this advice following an in-depth analysis of the condition of the nearly 100-year-old bridges.
The bridges include: Marlborough Woods, Belmont-on-the-Arm, Oakland Road, South Street and Coburg Road. These restrictions, similar to those placed on the Quinpool Road bridge in July, will be in effect from October 29, 2009 until further notice.
Constructed between 1915 and 1917, engineering assessments received by CN show the bridges are experiencing the effects of age, heavy road traffic flow and weight. As such, steps must be taken to limit the size and weight of vehicles that cross over these structures until plans are in place for their restoration or replacement.
As the road authority, HRM is implementing the restrictions included below, as recommended by CN. The maximum vehicle weights permitted are:
• Maximum Single Unit weight of 20 tonnes; no tolerances.
• Maximum Two-Unit weight of 34 tonnes; no tolerances.
• Maximum Vehicle Train weight of 49 tonnes; no tolerances.
For the purposes of these restrictions, the following Definitions from the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code apply:
1. "Single Unit"means trucks, buses, cars, and other vehicles consisting of a single unit.
2. "Two-Unit" means tractor-semi-trailers, car-trailers, truck-trailers, and other vehicles consisting of two units.
3. "Vehicle Train"means tractor-trailer-trailer, tractor-semitrailer-trailer, tractor-semitrailer-semitrailer, and other vehicles consisting of three units.
In addition, each of the bridges will be fitted with protective barriers to safeguard the concrete side walls from possible vehicle impacts. Work to install these protective measures will begin immediately on the following schedule:
• Marlborough Woods - Install steel guardrail and fill depressions in the asphalt roadway;
• Belmont-on-the-Arm - Stabilize the railings and fill depressions in the asphalt roadway;
• Oakland Road - Install steel guardrail and fill depressions in the asphalt roadway;
• South Street - Install jersey barriers and fill depressions in the asphalt raodway;
• Coburg Road - Stabilize the northwest wing wall, install jersey barriers and fill depressions in the asphalt roadway.
While more analysis is needed before decisions can be made about the future of the bridges, CN and HRM are working together on the interim measures to protect public safety. CN is committed to a rigorous inspection schedule on all of the bridges over the rail cut.
The public will be informed of any further work or action required on these bridges once decisions are made.
-30-
Contact:
Julie Senecal
Manager, Public & Government Affairs
CN
(514) -239-3331 (cell)
Shaune MacKinlay
Manager, Public Affairs
Halifax Regional Municipality
(902) - 490-6531
(902) - 233-6838 (cell)
