Bastion Street Bridge Renewal and Seismic Retrofit

The Bastion Bridge in an important link in Downtown Nanaimo.  In 2014 a detailed condition assessment of the bridge was completed which revealed that the Bastion Street Bridge now requires significant maintenance and rehabilitation work. 

bastion

Rehabilitation of the bridge is now planned for the spring of 2019.  This work will address the current maintenance requirements, improve the seismic performance and extend the service life of the bridge. 

The City is taking this opportunity to add additional upgrades to the bridge.

signbracing

At the deck level this will take the form of decorative signs with wayfinding panels demarcating areas of the downtown and providing information to visitors and the general public. At the lower street level the visual impact of the bridge will be enhanced through general clean-up and the addition of backlit coloured panels between the bridge piers.

Contact

If you have any comments or questions on the planned improvements, please contact us at 250-754-4251 or email EngineeringInfo@nanaimo.ca.

  • Progress

    The Bastion Bridge will be closed from June 8th to June 26th to facilitate some final work to the bridge deck joints. 

  • Documents
  • Details

    The primary bridge components vary in age from approximately 80 years for the substructure to under 40 years for the superstructure.  In general, the bridge is in fair to good condition for its age; however, there are several rehabilitation work activities required to extend the service life.  The rehabilitation works identified include:

    • concrete deck overlay
    • deck joint replacement or elimination
    • bearing replacement
    • miscellaneous concrete repairs

    Structural Engineers have completed a seismic assessment and identified various vulnerabilities including deficiencies in the connection between the superstructure and the piers, sliding of the abutments, and deficiencies in the pier columns.  The retrofit work is being completed to a Safety 1’ (S1) standard as defined by the Ministry’s Seismic Retrofit Design Criteria (2005). 

     The retrofit work includes:

    • shear keys
    • Steel bracing system between the existing columns
    • rock anchors at the abutments
    • removal of the remaining fascia panels

     

  • Background

    The Bastion Bridge was originally constructed in 1936. Below is a view looking down the current Terminal Avenue toward Departure Bay.

    BB 1930

    Bastion Bridge was completely upgraded in 1978.

     

    bb 1970

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