North Arm and Middle Arm Bridge Construction Begins November 2005
20 October 2005
Two Bridges To Be Built Over Fraser River For RAV Line
Beginning in early November 2005, bridge construction for the Richmond-Airport-Vancouver (RAV) Rapid Transit Project will take place in the North and Middle Arm of the Fraser River.
The North Arm Bridge will be constructed just off the
western point of Mitchell Island in Richmond approximately
200 metres east of the Oak Street Bridge. This work will
begin in early November 2005 and is anticipated to continue
until the summer of 2007.
The Middle Arm Bridge connecting Sea Island to Richmond will be built over the Middle Arm of the Fraser River (the Moray Channel), connecting the main RAV line with the
Vancouver International Airport segment of the line. This work will begin in early November 2005 and is anticipated to continue until the fall of 2006.
Please visit the RAV Project web site at www.ravprapidtransit.com and subscribe to receive traffic
and construction updates, and to learn more about RAV
Project.
Figure 1: Illustration of the North Arm Fraser River Bridge
Construction Timeline and General Scope of Work
- Construction on both bridges will begin in early November 2005. The Middle Arm Bridge construction is anticipated to be finished in the fall of 2006, and the North Arm Bridge in the summer of 2007
- Construction work will take place between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, and between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on weekends. At times, this work may also occur at night to optimize factors such as low tides, and to co-ordinate with marine traffic movements. Work completed outside of typical (daytime) weekday and weekend hours will respect local regulations
- A significant portion of this work will be performed in the Fraser River (off-shore) using barges and cranes. Site offices in the north Bridgeport and Sea Island (YVR) areas are being established for limited on-shore construction-related activity, such as erecting site trailers, equipment and fencing
- An extension of the west point of Mitchell Island will be built to accommodate pier construction for the North Arm Bridge
- The bridge construction program will provide an area for fish habitat compensation
- Dredging, rock relocation, concrete and steel works, and pile-driving work in the Fraser River will be completed for both bridges in the fall of 2006
Expected Disruption and Affected Areas
- Off-shore construction impacts to the public will be minimal, as most construction activities take place in the Fraser River. However, at times, residents and businesses in the immediate areas of pier construction may experience increased noise from pile driving in the Fraser River. Pile driving will occur during the day and in the evenings, and will respect local regulations on work hours. Pile driving is expected to begin in November 2005 and will continue for approximately 10 months.
- On-shore construction impacts will be minimal. Richmond and Vancouver businesses in the immediate area of on-shore site locations may notice a minimal increase in truck traffic and subsequent construction noise near the on-shore construction site yards.
- Vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle access on-shore will be maintained at all times, although delays may occur on Grauer Road on the Vancouver International Airport land. Further, the existing bike lane near Grauer Road may be temporarily disrupted from equipment, although bicycle access will be maintained.
- Marine vessels using the Fraser River in these areas will continue to have access to the waterways, and construction activity will be co-ordinated with the appropriate regulatory authorities.
Future RAV Project Construction in Richmond
- Utility relocation in the north Bridgeport area is anticipated to begin in January of 2006, which would typically move from the Bridgeport area south along No. 3 Road toward Saba Road. Residents and businesses in the area will be advised of construction details toward the end of this year. Also, demolition of building structures in the north Bridgeport area is anticipated to begin in early 2006. Please note this timeline is subject to change based on finalizing the construction schedule in the north Bridgeport area.
- Pre-construction activity for the Vancouver International Airport segment of the RAV Line is also anticipated to begin in January of 2006. Residents and businesses in the area will be advised of construction details toward the end of this year.
Subscribe to Receive Electronic Updates on Traffic and Construction Activity
InTransitBC encourages those who wish to receive regular traffic and construction updates to subscribe online at www.ravprapidtransit.com.
In addition to the RAV web site, the public will be notified about traffic and onstruction activity related to the RAV Project through public notices, information bulletins, frequently asked questions, a telephoneinformation line, public meetings and signage. To learn more about the community and business liaison
programs, please visit us online.
About the Richmond-Airport-Vancouver (RAV) Rapid Transit Project
The almost 19-km RAV Line will connect Vancouver with Central Richmond and the Airport, linking growing residential, commercial, health, educational and other centres in the region and adding transit capacity equivalent to 10 road lanes. The Governments of Canada and British Columbia, the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority and Vancouver International Airport Authority fund the RAV Line. RAVCO is the subsidiary of TransLink responsible for overseeing the procurement, design, construction and implementation of the Line. InTransitBC is the company contracted to design, build, operate, maintain and partially finance the Line.
