Site C project’s Peace River construction bridge completed on time and on budget

FORT ST. JOHN: BC Hydro and its contractor have met an early construction milestone on the Site C project with the completion of the temporary Peace River construction bridge. The 329-metre-long bridge connects the north and south banks of the Site C construction site and will be used to transport people, machinery and materials across the Peace River. The bridge is also critical for the mobilization of the main civil works contractor.

“It’s good to see steady progress at Site C with the Peace River construction bridge completed on time and on budget,” said Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy and Mines. “BC Hydro is demonstrating that its construction planning is sound and its contractors are performing well. This is a good project for the province, just as previous large hydro projects were good for B.C.”

Construction of the bridge was undertaken by Prince George-based Ruskin Construction and a First Nations joint venture partner. There were approximately 35 workers involved in its construction.

“Completion of this project will help us continue to move forward with Site C,” Peace River North MLA Pat Pimm said.​

“Our schedule requires the temporary construction bridge to be in place by the end of March for use by the main civil works contractor and this has been accomplished,” said Diane McSherry, BC Hydro’s Vice-President and Project Director, Site C.

“As a company based in northern B.C., we’re pleased to be part of this legacy project benefiting the province,” said Jim Basha, President of Ruskin Construction. “Our team worked really hard to build the bridge on schedule, and I’m very proud of our employees and our First Nations’ partners who made this project a success.”

With the bridge in place, the main civil works contractor will mobilize to the Site C dam site and begin earthworks to construct the dam. The mobilization will involve the preparation of site offices and a parking lot as well as laydown and stockpile areas. In addition, 50 to 100 vehicles and pieces of machinery will be transported to the north bank of the dam site per week, over a three-to-four week period in April.

Facts

• The temporary Peace River construction bridge is 329 metres long by 11.2 metres wide.
• It is a steel bridge with 72 girders, supported on 68 steel pipe piles with 17 steel and two concrete pile cap beams and 180 precast concrete deck panels. The bridge has 17 piers and 18 spans.
• Rapid Span, a company based in Armstrong, B.C., produced the concrete deck panels and the girders for the bridge.
• The temporary construction bridge will be removed after the completion of construction.

Construction of Site C started in July 2015 and will be completed in 2024. Once built, Site C will provide clean, reliable and cost-effective electricity in B.C. for more than 100 years.

BC Hydro Media Relations
p. 604.928.6468