SURREY (NEWS1130) – The province believes cable sweepers are believed to be the solution to ice-bombs accumulating on the Port Mann Bridge.
The sweepers fit on the actual cables; they are raised and lowered to brush off snow and ice as they build up. A hundred and fifty-two sweepers will be installed according to TI Corp CEO Mike Proudfoot.
“And they will move at a speed of approximately 200 feet per minute. Their deployment will begin as soon as snow begins to accumulate. Last week was a good opportunity to test the sweepers, while we received only a little snow. We saw the brushes were removing it as intended.”
The sweepers would be operated by eight winches and some man power is required.
In addition, a “hydrophobic” coating and a de-icing solution will also be applied. Engineers will be testing the coatings in a wide range of of severe winter conditions trying to provide a realistic assessment of how effective it would be. They will also try and see if the coating would affect the wind loading and aerodynamics of the cables.
A cable sweeper for the Port Mann Bridge (image shown to the media in a conference room)
The de-icing solution engineers will be using is non-corrosive and environmentally friendly. It is similar to solutions used to prevent ice buildup on planes and ocean-going ships.
Depending on the testing, the silicone coating will be applied during the summer during warm and dry conditions.
No cost to these measures have been announced yet. “There is no dollar figure at this stage,” says Transportation Minister Mary Polak.
“Our focus has been on finding these solutions and implementing them,” she tells us.
“But [the contractor] has been absolutely cooperative,” she adds. “They have funded the development and the construction of the different resources.”
She maintains taxpayers will not be on the hook.
Forty cars crashed on black ice earlier this month. More than a hundred cars were damaged when snow and ice fell from the 152 bridge cables on December 19th.
(Courtesy: Port Mann/Highway 1 Improvement Project)
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Couldn’t they have just built a standard suspension cable design? Why mess around with crossing cables and untested engineering?
Furthermore, THE BRIDGE LOOKS VERY, VERY, UGLY! I’ve never seen an eyesore this huge in our city. Motorists should be paid to drive on it, not the other way around.
Thank god I live in Shaughnessy and not Surrey!
What’s going to stop the cable sweepers from icing up?
Gordon Campbell and his idiot Liberal’s caused all this.
Time to clean-up BC, Vote NDP; throw the Liberal’s down the garburator and feed them to the sow.
I am sure you were on board with the fast ferries, Glen’s casino licence to his friend, and Mr Dix’s forgery… they’re ALL IDIOTS pal, the NDP will be just as bad, of course if your a welfare person, you will love the NDP!
Horrible news report from AM1130 this time.
Mark Polak already confirmed that taxpayer will not have to pay for this solution. The contractor has agreed to pay for that.
People stop whining about how taxpayers have to pay for all these and how the solution doesn’t make sense.
It’s not their money they’re spending! When has government ever asked how much something costs as long as it appears they’ve got the solution. “Spend and tax, then spend more!” Taught in How to be a Politician 101.
So what happens when these sweepers need de-icing themselves? It’s totally conceivable that there will be ice build up on the sweepers. So what happens when the sweeper is at the top of the bridge?
You people either need to leave the province or find jobs, as every one of your posts confirms that your life is completely devoid of any value when you complain about this stuff. Or read Chicken Little one more time, because you clearly didn’t understand it.