Riverview Bridge Build - Optimizing the Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project
- Communications Entuitive
- Jan 21
- 5 min read
Profile: Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project - Riverview Bridge
Cost: $1.637 billion
Construction schedule: 2020-2025
Build type: Four-lane cable-stayed bridge
Location: Surrey and New Westminster, connecting over the Fraser River
Dimensions: 167-metre tall tower; 1.2 kilometre length; 10 land piers, 2 in-river piers
Key features: 3,000+ panels prefabricated (modular design); Wider lanes; Centre safety median barrier
New bridge: Coast Salish Name: Stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge | Anglicized Name: Riverview Bridge
The Riverview Bridge replaced the old Pattullo Bridge that connected Surrey with New Westminster across the Fraser River. We sat down with Gerd Birkle, Senior Associate, to learn more about the construction of this vital transportation link.
ENtuitive: I appreciate you taking the time to speak about this massive project. Perhaps you could start with an overview of the Pattullo Bridge replacement from your point of view.
Gerd: Yes, the Pattullo Bridge replacement. The existing bridge is old. From the 1930s, I think. So it was quite narrow. The new bridge is a long span structure and complex. Interestingly, we're also on the demolition of the existing bridge, but that's a separate project. It's pretty cool to be a part of both the new build and the demolition of the existing structure.
From a constructability point of view, since this new bridge is a long span structure, the choice was made to use precast panels. Our primary role as construction engineering specialists focused on shop drawing production that helped to optimize the design of the panels and their installation. We were also involved in the design and construction of the precast yard. Our team led design coordination and what we call clash detection. This ensured that the different design elements for the precast panels were constructable.
EN: What were some of the objectives we were involved in for the project? For example, one of the reasons for replacing the old bridge was to provide a better path for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
Gerd: Well, our role was really about constructability and optimization for the contractor to build efficiently on an aggressive schedule. We were not deeply involved in the structural design of the bridge itself, but we understood that our role contributed to the higher order objectives of the project.
EN: Understood – so we were more focused on the objective of designing and facilitating the construction process itself.
Gerd: Right.
EN: You were managing the designers and drafters, and this was a fast-track project where we enabled flexible, agile project management. Could you expand on that a bit?
Gerd: At one point the contractor had three different fabricators going at the same time. We were dealing with our packages in segments – the main span, south span, and north span – so there were parallel efforts to keep the precast fabricators going.
There were long lead times for the rebar because a lot of the rebar was made of stainless steel from China. There were more than six months of orders, and our team made sure that the orders were accurate, facilitating the work required to accomplish the aggressive schedule.
We were on a critical path of optimizing the design, coordinating with stakeholders, and ensuring a high degree of quality and confidence that the orders were correct - while keeping the three shops going.
It’s rewarding for the team to see these panels fabricated and installed, with the knowledge that we started the process three years ago!
EN: That’s amazing – clearly, it was a challenge to effectively manage and collaborate with multiple entities, both local and overseas. Were there any other challenges you’d like to discuss? Apparently, there was relatively little space available to work with, despite the size of the Riverview Bridge.
Gerd: Things were happening off site because of the constrained construction area. Two of the fabricators were already busy – they were separate, subcontracted fabricators – but the third one was the Fraser Crossing Constructors General Partnership (FCCGP) that built their own precast yard. This was on lands belonging to the Vancouver airport (YVR).
Since this was a constrained site, the fabrication was happening up the Fraser River – both fabrication and storage. Some were shipped on a river barge, while others were shipped by truck. Our role included an analysis of handling, storage, and lifting components in the yard.
EN: Were there lessons learned that you could discuss? I don’t want to imply that this was the first time that Entuitive performed these roles and tasks, so maybe there are lessons learned in terms of improvements.
Gerd: Yes, to frame the lessons learned I should begin with our role on the Gardiner Expressway project. We had a similar role for the Gardiner’s construction engineering that was relevant to the Riverview Bridge: determining how to put the panels in place and how to rehab the elevated expressway. Success on the Gardiner project was the reason we were invited to the Pattullo Bridge replacement.
The lessons learned revolved around a continuous optimization for coding the design work, producing shop drawings, and creating improved modular panels. Clearly, the Riverview Bridge is a much different project than the Gardiner: Riverview is a completely different structure with its own challenges, curvature, and means and methods that the contractor wanted to use.
So, the learning was centred on how we develop codes and scripts to help our output designs. The importance of clash detection was a valuable, complex lesson. Proactive clash detection and collaboration with designers to find the optimal design: this is time-consuming, detail-oriented work. You need the right type of people to really focus on details to catch all the little things.
Working with the designers and contractors earlier on in the process, and showing them the importance of their design decisions, illustrated the impact of clash detection and an attention to detail on the final panels produced.
EN: What was your favourite part of the project?
Gerd: Favourite part of the project? When you work on the most prestigious bridge being built in Canada right now, you get to interact with some of the most influential players on the planet. The people who did the design here were consultants from Leonhardt, Andrä und Partner.
They’re out of Stuttgart. Highly specialized in long-span bridges. So you get a glimpse of their knowledge, their level of accuracy, and their approach.
For me, the prestigious thing about a project like this is meeting the people that have this type of knowledge. To learn. To see how they do it. And figure out when I will apply this knowledge for my own projects.
The growth experienced when engaging with this kind of a project is highly enjoyable.
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