Starting this weekend, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will be conducting tests of a cable collar drop system (like the system being used on the Port Mann Bridge) to see if this type of snow-clearing system would be feasible on the Alex Fraser Bridge.

Work will take place on the south east pier with the northbound slow lane and sidewalk closed to traffic. The testing will only require single lane closures, and work will be done at night, so the impact to traffic will be minimal.

The schedule is as follows:

• Sunday Jan. 29 – 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
• Monday Jan. 30 – 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
• Tuesday Jan. 31 – 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
• Wednesday Feb. 1 – 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
• Thursday Feb. 2 – 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

This is the first test to be conducted while engineers continue to work on researching and evaluating other feasible systems for clearing snow on bridge cables.

There will be 40 collars that will be dropped on the cables, first from a man-lift and then from the top of the cables, similar to the snow-clearing system on the Port Mann Bridge. The tests will require specialized rope access technicians who will attach and drop the cables from the top of the pier.

The configuration of the cables on the Alex Fraser Bridge is different than the configuration of cables on the Port Mann Bridge. On the Alex Fraser, the cables run parallel to the traffic lanes and not over them, are of smaller diameter and configured at different angles.

Any snow-clearing solutions would have to consider a number of factors, including design and angle of cables, and the configuration of the cross-beams and towers.

The ministry will test out the effectiveness of this snow-clearing measure to see if it could be used on the Alex Fraser Bridge during future snow storms, to clear snow and ice from the cables.

For up-to-date route information please visit DriveBC at: www.drivebc.ca or on your mobile device at: www.drivebc.ca/mobile

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