One in five Pattullo Bridge posts need repairs now

About 20 per cent of the railing posts on the Pattullo Bridge need to be repaired immediately or replaced, according to an inspection report prepared for TransLink.

The transit authority, which is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the 80-year-old bridge, inspects the railings once a year and performs repairs as necessary.

“One area of the bridge which we’ve known for a while is deficient is the condition of the railings,” said Jeff Busby, TransLink’s director of infrastructure program management.

The latest inspection took place over three days in May and looked at 606 railing posts on the east and west sides of the bridge. Typically, the railings had moderate to heavy corrosion on the connection between the posts and channel railing, and at the top of the post. There was also some mild surface corrosion on the faces of the posts.

Of the posts that were inspected, 21 (11 east and 10 west) have the highest level of deterioration, and posts and connections must be repaired or replaced as soon as possible because “given the current condition (they) may not be able to withstand applied loading.”

These posts had holes, damaged or broken connections, or “section loss.” They’ll be replaced partly or repaired, either by removing a section of the top of the post and replacing it with a new steel tube, or welding cover plates over holes.

A total of 107 posts (73 east and 34 west) require connection repairs, which means they ’re missing nuts and bolts, or have cracked welds. Missing parts will be replaced and broken welds repaired.

Inspectors found that 164 posts should be monitored for repair over the next five years, and 314 require very little maintenance to remain in service for 10 years, including a number on the west side of the bridge that were replaced recently and are generally in good condition, with only minor surface corrosion.

Busby said TransLink is working with Mainroad Contracting to repair all railings that need urgent attention. Repairs are expected to be complete by the end of this year.

Although there are annual inspections aimed at keeping the railings safe, Busby said, the new report points out a larger-thanusual number of deficiencies.

Last month, TransLink structural and deck experts also inspected several areas of the bridge; reports from those inspections will be submitted to TransLink this quarter.

Deck repairs were conducted in the summer of 2017, and no significant repairs have been needed since.