Buckled bridge girders over Groat Road begin to straighten

Those in Edmonton who have been closely watching the drama over the 102nd Avenue Bridge got a beam of hope this afternoon. The badly buckled girders have started to slowly straighten.

This morning, the city began slowly lifting them using a crane. The hope wasonce the weight is taken off the girders, they wouldreturn to their original shape.

Which the girders have started to do. Very slowly.

BarryBelcourt, the city's road design and construction manager,said steel is elastic, but the process is slow.Engineers are measuring the difference in millimetres.

Its like a snail moving, he said.

To see positive movement within the first half day is very positive.

If crews are able to straighten all four buckled girders and reattached them to the bridge structure, Groat Road could reopen as early as Monday.

If the girders dont straighten out, the city will work towards its original plan, which calls for Groat Road to reopen by April 7.

Belcourt said the citys first priority is to get the road reopened. After that, they will turn their attention toward the bridge.

He said there are severaloptions for rebuilding the bridge, either with new girders or the existing ones,but nothing will be done to jeopardizethe quality of the finished product.

Were building a bridge for the next hundred years, he said.Were only going to accept what were paying for.

Belcourt said if the repair requires new girders, the bridge's opening will be delayed for a year.