InfraStructures - August 2021 - Modular Bridge for a Snowmobile Trail Over the Odell River

Modular Bridge for a Snowmobile Trail Over the Odell River

Acrow recently designed and supplied a modular steel bridge for a vital crossing point on a popular section of a recreational trail network near the Village of Plaster Rock in New Brunswick.

Located at the northern end of the Appalachian Mountain Range, the region is a year-round destination for outdoor activities. With more than 8,000 km of groomed trails across the province, snowmobiling is a vital part of the region’s economy.

In the spring of 2019, an ice jam in the Tobique River caused the adjoining and smaller Odell River to back up. As a result, large sections of ice pushed the existing bridge off of its foundations. As the bridge was critical for crossing the Odell, the owners of the bridge, New Brunswick’s Department of Energy and Resources (NBDERD), decided it would be most expeditious and more economical in the longer term to completely remove the old structure, rebuild the foundations and install a new bridge.

A modular steel Acrow structure was selected for the project, and design engineers Hilcon Limited devised innovative foundations which allow the bridge to be lifted in the event of future backups, thereby preventing it from being pushed out of position. A key design feature of the new bridge are specially modified transoms allowing for up and down but not lateral movement, enabling the bridge to slide up the sides of the extended curtain walls in high water, and slide back down when the water level has dropped.

The new bridge replacement is 21.3 m long and 3.7 m wide to accommodate 2 lanes of snowmobiles or one groomer. Manufactured from high-strength, high-quality steel and galvanized to eliminate corrosion, Acrow’s bridges are virtually maintenance-free over a service life of 75-100 years or more.

The project began in October 2020 and was completed in only a few weeks, rapidly restoring the crossing for the snowmobilers just in time for the first snowfall of the year.

Source: Acrow Canada

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