The overpass spanning Autoroute 15 at Cure-Labelle Blvd. is still waiting for the city to make repairs deemed necessary last October.
(Photo: Martin Alarie)
No limits imposed on Laval overpasses under scrutiny
Visual inspections reveal no immediate danger but further testing planned
Following visual inspections conducted last weekend the five Laval island overpasses which do not have steel supporters to counteract the possibility of shear or diagonal cracking of concrete slabs have been cleared of any immediate danger. They will not be subject to weight-load restrictions earlier suggested as precautionary safeguards, at least for the time being.
With a population exceeding 100,000 Laval is obliged under law to inspect overpasses on its territory. Although no Laval bridges were named in the 135 declared suspect by the Quebec Transport Department (MTQ), city officials decided nonetheless to conduct immediate visual inspections of five overpasses with characteristics similar to those of the Concorde and De Blois spans, the first (Concorde) of which collapsed, the second (De Blois) intentionally demolished for fear of the same fate.
More tests
The visual inspections of the five overpasses will be followed by testing of core samples of the concrete structures by an independent firm, noted Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt at mid-week. This phase of the testing will assess the condition of the concrete and determine if the stirrups and steel reinforcement beams are effectively positioned to prevent shearing.
"If these tests reveal problems, it won't be just a question of limiting weight-loads. If there's any danger, there'll be no delay in closing down the bridge," Mr. Vaillancourt told Courrier Laval.
These tests are not new. Following the collapse of the Concorde bridge, the city undertook an immediate emergency inspection of the overpasses under its jurisdiction. The five overpasses inspected last weekend figured directly in those inspections conducted in early October of 2006.
The mayor cited new specifications adopted by the MTQ as justification for the latest inspections of the five overpasses. "Following expert testimony at the inquiry, the MTQ deemed the previous testing specifications inadequate, and that's why we conducted these other inspections," the mayor explained, adding that the five bridges in question will continue to be closely monitored by the city.
"The inspections will be more frequent. We'll be even more rigorous than the MTQ in applying the provisions of the inspection manual."
Repairs waiting
In the report it submitted last October following the emergency inspections of the overpasses it conducted on Laval island, the CIMA company made recommendations calling for repairs for most of the structures examined.
Last May, during the first stages of the Johnson commission, a city representative testified that these repairs had been done. However, in an article published on May 20, 2007, Courrier Laval reported the contrary.
"We're not talking about problems that could be factors in a collapse," Mr. Vaillancourt specifies. "In the meantime, temporary measures have been deployed to compensate (for repairs not yet made)."
According to Mr. Vaillancourt, the repair work should be completed by next summer, delayed until then because procedures for jointly-managed structures require the MTQ to make certain repairs of their own before the city can proceed with repairs that fall under its jurisdiction.
Photo:Labelle
(Photo: Martin Alarie)
Météo: Laval, 18 juillet 2008 / 19°C
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Steven Guilbeault - Chronique environnement
Richard Cléroux - Le fouineur politique
