A concrete spacer used for Evergreen Line construction around Como Lake Avenue and Clarke Road will not be used anywhere else on the line after a beam dislodged and caused serious traffic issues on Friday.
Amanda Farrell, executive director of the Evergreen Line Project, says engineers have confirmed the failure was due to the concrete spacer, but they don’t know the technical reasons yet why a 300-tonne beam dislodged, shutting down the major commuter route due to fears of concrete falling.
“It’s very unusual,” she said. “But there was no risk…The guideway beam would not have fallen because it was resting on the column.”
The beam was repaired on the weekend and additional braces were put in place, with the road fully reopening Sunday afternoon. The cost of repairing it still unknown, but will be fully repaid by the contractor.
However, a portion of Clarke Road will be closed off sometime in the near future when the beam is repositioned – though Farrell said the date for the was unknown.
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