Spanning the Fraser River, the Golden Ears Bridge connects the communities of Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge to Langley, Surrey and beyond. The six-lane bridge and 14-kilometre road network provide a quick and convenient link for residents and businesses that reduces travel times and regional traffic congestion.
The scope of work undertaken by FRPD on the project included a variety of activities, both marine-related and on land. The most significant activity was the construction of the four main river pier foundations including densification and riprap placement. Each of the 4 piers is supported by 12 – 2440 diameter bored piles to depths as great as 75 meters. Construction of the piles – which included approximately 300 cubic meters of concrete and up to 90 tonnes of reinforcing steel per pile – was carried out by FRPD crews working 24 hours a day, seven days per week.
FRPD supplied all marine support equipment and supervision for this operation. FRPD also supplied approximately 750,000 cubic meters of dredged river sand to be used for preload and roadway embankment fill, constructed significant temporary works to facilitate loading and offloading of the bridge and viaduct pre-built components and installed 3,000 precast concrete driven piles to support footings for elevated portions of connecting roadways.