Train or traffic delays can put a damper on a day and a construction job site. At the start of the Plessis Road Twinning Grade Separations project, we were faced with challenging schedule obstacles that threatened to push our start date back by three weeks. Since the structural retaining walls couldn’t be cast until the roadway base was placed, the pressure was on to find a time saving solution.

Our alternative solution – installation of low-density Styrofoam on undisturbed soil. Not only did this allow us to start work weeks earlier than expected, but it saved the roadway contractor from over excavating and backfilling.

The completed project brought City of Winnipeg residents and businesses improved transportation access and reduced train delays. 

Before the build began, a deep pump station with three large deluge pumps was needed because of the city’s inadequate infrastructure around the project.

The new station pumps water to a dedicated dry pond if rainfall overflow occurs and there is limited drainage available.  

Jack-and-Slide bridge girders are an accelerated bridge construction technique that allows teams to more efficiently and safely maneuver bridges into place. These girders required the bridge sections to be prefabricated off-site and then brought on-site. Once at the project site, the girders were jacked up on numerous hydraulic jacks and slid onto specially designed beam rails.

From there, the bridge sections were jacked up again, the sliding beams were removed and the bridge was placed in its final resting position.