KCB Awarded Consulting Engineers of Alberta 2017 Showcase Award of Excellence

February 27, 2017

Congratulations to KCB’s Edmonton office rail team, winners of the Consulting Engineering of Alberta (CEA’s) 2017 Showcase Award of Excellence for Transportation Infrastructure – Bridges for the replacement of Canadian National Railway Company's (CN’s) Mayerthorpe Bridge.

KCB provided emergency response to a fire at CN’s Mayerthorpe timber trestle bridge, located at Mile 74.7, Sangudo Subdivision, near Mayerthorpe, Alberta on April 26, 2016. The bridge, which was destroyed by the fire, carries rail freight, including oil, lumber, and gravel supplies, from Edmonton to Whitecourt and beyond. CN’s commitment to their customers was to have the line back in service within three weeks as it is critical link in the rail infrastructure. KCB worked in close collaboration with CN Engineering and other contractors to complete the investigation, analyses, design and construction monitoring in order to achieve the aggressive timeline and manage the substantial risks associated with the execution of this type of project. This was achieved with rail services restored on May 15, 2016.

KCB organized surveying (Challenger Geomatics Ltd.) and geotechnical site investigation (Mobile Augers & Research Ltd., and ConeTec Investigations Ltd.), and completed the redesign of the grade, track and bridge layout. KCB also provided quality assurance monitoring of construction of the approach embankment for the replacement 335 m timber trestle bridge. Due to the aggressive schedule, KCB adopted the observational approach to design, and construction of replacement bridge approach embankments continued on site while KCB completed the design in the office. For details of the award and other recipients, click here. For more details on the project, click here.

For information on KCB’s rail services to host and industrial railways, contact Pamela Fines, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., Edmonton Office Manager.