will support annual traffic of between 40 and 50 million commuters, as well as more than $20 billion in international trade. Improvements to mobility brought by the NCBC compared with the existing Champlain Bridge will have a direct positive impact on the economy by reducing travel time for cars and trucks and providing reliable public transit op- tions as well. Community quality of life — In addition to addressing safety and security concerns and maintaining the vital economic link of the Champlain Bridge, the NCBC project improves the quality of life of the host and neighboring communities in many ways. For example, the project improves accessibility to non-motorized transportation and public transit by including a multi-use path for both pedestrians and cyclists and rehabilitating existing cycling networks on the project site in Montréal, and by including provisions for future light rail transit in the center lanes of the bridge. The project also improves community mobility by enabling safer, more secure travel across the corridor, and improving the efficiency of traffic flows, especially on the approaches to the NCBC and for communi- ties bordering the project site; and improving pedestrian linkages at the center of Île-des-Soeurs, under the highway, to allow connection between the northern and southern portions of the area. Leadership in sustainability — As the owner of the project, the Government of Canada laid a strong foundation for sustainability. The Federal Sustainable Development Act (FSDA) publicly articulates the government’s commitments to improving the sustainable performance of Canadian initiatives, projects, and developments. The NCBC project aligns with the FSDA commitments to ensuring continued safety and service, promoting economic growth and providing value for Canadi- ans, and fostering sustainable development and urban integration. Specific to this project and in keeping with each member’s long-stand- ing commitments to sustainability, SSL developed its own policies and tools to ensure the priorities and commitments made by the Govern- ment of Canada were translated into concrete actions and outcomes over the life of the project. For example, the project team implemented an extended environmental quality management system (EQMS) to include social aspects in order to improve the project’s sustainable performance across a broad range of social, environmental, economic, and quality indicators. The EQMS was developed in accordance with the International Standard Organization’s 14001 and 9001 standards for environmental and quality management, respectively. Active stakeholder engagement and continued dialogue have been among the core principles of the project since its inception. Initial consultations were led by the federal government, and subsequently by SSL. A wide variety of stakeholders were solicited for input through- out project planning and delivery, including residents from the City of Montreal’s Verdun and Sud-Ouest boroughs, residents in the cities of Brossard and Longueuil, members of Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, Port of Montreal, the association of intermunicipal transit councils, and the interregional committee for freight transport.
The project addressed several concerns raised by stakeholders, includ- ing technical constraints regarding constructing the project over the St. Lawrence Seaway, integrating multi-use paths in the project area, managing traffic flows during and post-construction, reducing noise and vibration for residents in the area, and providing accessibility to public transit. Innovation and exceptional performance — The NCBC project ex- ceeded the highest levels of achievement within the Envision system for several credits in the Quality of Life category, earning the project bonus points for exceptional performance. Furthermore, the project is implementing a new passive de-icing con- cept to mitigate the risk of ice accumulation on the bridge cable-stay system from falling to the bridge below. A modified bridge structure designed to prevent ice from shedding in large quantities was devel- oped in partnership with DSI, the project’s cable-stay system supplier, and the National Research Council of Canada. Construction of the NCBC project is complex; no temporary structure or construction barges are allowed on the St. Lawrence Seaway as this is a dedicated navigation channel where no activity may interfere with maritime traffic. To overcome this technical constraint, the team requested the use of an innovative approach to construction where the assembly of the main span tower of more than 240 meters in length could be done without disrupting traffic on the seaway. The approach used by the NCBC project team was the object of an experimental development in the field of civil engineering. “Congratulations to the many firms, individuals, and other stakeholders that have contributed, and continue to contribute to this truly exemplary project. The New Champlain Bridge Corridor project is deserving of its Platinum-level rating,” said Melissa Peneycad, director of sustain- able projects at the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. “This iconic infrastructure asset has been designed to meet the needs of the people of Montréal and Brossard, and indeed the entire region for a 125-year period. During this time, many variables are expected to change that could influence the functioning of this corridor, such as future devel- opments, climate change impacts, demand on the road network, and even the way people travel. This project has been designed with the necessary flexibility, adaptability, and resiliency to continue to meet the needs of the host and affected communities for its design life, even under changing operating conditions. This project sets a new standard for other major infrastructure investments in Canada and beyond.”
Information provided by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (www.sustainableinfrastructure.org).
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csengineermag.com
august 2018
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