EDMONTON – Crews working on the 102 Avenue bridge have transferred the weight of the buckled girders to a massive crane.
Engineers said Tuesday afternoon the bent girders (girders four and five) have started to slowly straighten.
The city said the change is a positive development and it is cautiously optimistic.
“Had there been movement, it gives us an option to continue going, to put the girders in the vertical position. If we can get them in vertical and brace them up, that would allow us to open Groat Road quicker,” explained Berry Belcourt, with the city’s roads design and construction department.
Belcourt said the city won’t know until Wednesday how much the girders will “go vertical,” or straighten.
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READ MORE: Twisted metal over Groat Road leads to indefinite closure
The operation drew a crowd of spectators curious to see what would happen once the girders were lifted. However, it’s difficult to see the change happen because movement happens over hours and millimetres at a time.
“I hope they straighten out,” said one person watching. “I think they will… keep your fingers crossed.”
READ MORE: 6 things you need to know about the Groat Road closure
If everything goes as planned, Groat Road could be open to traffic on April 7.
“Each day we will find out more as we find out exactly what’s happening with the girders being towards vertical,” said Belcourt.
“If we have to take the girders down, that means we’re probably going to put new girders up… it’ll take six months to build new girders.”
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