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What went wrong with the Port Mann Bridge?
VANCOUVER/CKNW AM980
Gord Macdonald | Email news tips to gmacdonald@cknw.com
12/20/2012

Sources have told CKNW news that in an effort to reduce costs, the builders of the Port Mann Bridge decided not to install heated cables that would have prevented yesterday's ice buildup.

We are told Kiewet was offered the option by the French subcontractor who handled the cables, but said no.

When workers asked why, they were told the harmonics on the bridge cables would prevent ice buildup.

Last word from ICBC has 60 claims made by drivers whose vehicles were damaged by the ice bombs that forced the complete closure of the brand new bridge for 5-and-a-half hours yesterday afternoon.

The company responsible for construction of the bridge has apologized.

However, "Transportation Investment Corporation" C-E-O Mike Proudfoot won't confirm that they turned down the heated cable options.

So far, there has been no comment from Transportation Minister Mary Polak or Kiewet.

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  • 31
  1. ChrisM_18 posted on 12/20/2012 06:04 AM
    Let me guess as to the next news release re this issue

    Minister Polak will say her Ministry is going to investigate, but will assure us that all regulations and standrds were met or exceeded so we have nothing to worry about

    Kiewit will deny that they made acost cutting decision and will find some expert to explain that this was a one in a trillion weather system that could never have reasonably be expected ......but they will install heating coils as a safety measure at our expense !!
    1. Fate posted on 12/20/2012 07:08 AM
      @ChrisM_18 Sounds about right. Somehow it's going to cost the tax payer more money.
    2. AnneH_4 posted on 12/20/2012 04:21 PM
      @ChrisM_18 It seems to me that almost everything built or made today is substandard. If something was done right in the first place there would be no need for these discussions and of course the subsequent expenses......
  2. JanelleJ posted on 12/20/2012 07:37 AM
    Insulting to us the taxpayer ! We live in BC, we have winter weather.

    We DOUBLE PAY again.

    First for ALL the ICBC claims, as government insurance is paid by us.

    And as with any change you make to an existing structure , it will cost double the price to change the cables.

    Should have been done right the first time. WHO'S huge wages were we paying to over see this project? What an embarrassment on Canada's national highway!!
  3. RobertA_6 posted on 12/20/2012 08:46 AM
    I find it slightly interesting, that we hear reports of similar activity over at the Alex Fraser yesterday. I don't think there was anything extraordinary with the weather pattern yesterday and believe the reports from the Alex Fraser, were folks connected\responsible for the Port Mann, at work. They tried to make it look like we faced a catastrophic act of god, effecting any bridge.. Just sayin !; I'd be interested in learning if any of the Alex Fraser reports were actually true.
    1. insite posted on 12/20/2012 09:59 AM
      @RobertA_6 When you signed up with TReO, you agreed:

      TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF YOUR TREO ACCOUNT

      11. Liability

      11.1 You hereby release TI Corp, its officers, employees and/or agents (the "TI Corp Parties") from all costs, liabilities, expenses, charges, penalties, fines, losses, damages or injuries whatsoever from the use of your Registered Account and/or your Decal. The TI Corp Parties shall not have any obligation or liability to you with respect to the use of yourRegistered Account and/or your Decal. The only recourse available to you shall be the replacement by TI Corp of any defective Decal.

      The above says: "Use at your own risk" See TReO Terms and Conditions

      You are right on. The Alex Fraser Bridge cables run parallel to the roadway. The PMB cables run across the roadway so ice will fall on the roadway. On the Alex Fraser Bridge, ice could not fall on the roadwayunless there are severe cross winds which are rare.

      Of course, ice can build up on any overhead structure and as long as falling ice does not pose a hazard, who cares?

      The ones resposible for the PMB did not fulfill their obligation to ensure falling ice was not a hazard to the public. It was a financial decision to eliminate provisions to protect the public. Weren't we warned by various Finance Ministers (like KF) that we have to control costs to reduce the deficit? This was a prioirty at the time the bridge was being designed and now the chickens have come home.
  4. Specimen Yarp posted on 12/20/2012 08:50 AM
    Since this is Canada, we will now have a full public inquiry, an apology to anyone who was offended, and millions in compensation to the Natives.
    1. commonsense posted on 12/20/2012 12:01 PM
      @Specimen Yarp And it will also be repeated again in French.
    2. AnneH_4 posted on 12/20/2012 04:22 PM
      @Specimen Yarp I would laugh if it werent so true and so sad
    show more replies
  5. howards_1187 posted on 12/20/2012 09:06 AM
    Here are a couple of facts about the contruction company.
    Why is no one from CKNW investigating this company?

    In an antitrust case that involved charges of bid-rigging in New Orleans, Kiewit pleaded no contest and paid $100,000 in fines and $300,000 in a civil settlement. In South Dakota, a Kiewit subsidiary pleaded guilty to bid-rigging on road contracts and paid a fine of $350,000. In Kansas, a Kiewit subsidiary was found guilty of bid-rigging and mail fraud on a federal highway project. The firm was fined $900,000 and a company official was sentenced to a year in jail. A Kiewit subsidiary paid $1.8 million for bid-rigging on a state highway project in Nebraska, and a Kiewit vice president was jailed.
    1. Ron_26 posted on 12/20/2012 09:25 AM
      @howards_1187 Investigate? Ya right.
    show more replies
  6. JamesB_5267 posted on 12/20/2012 09:08 AM
    Didn't the Alex Fraser have a similar problem when new. The highway minister should be charged along with Kiewits CEO.
    1. commonsense posted on 12/20/2012 12:03 PM
      @JamesB_5267 You can hold liable the current Minister, but who would be the right minister to do that? Falcon? Lekstrom?
  7. howards_1187 posted on 12/20/2012 09:12 AM
    Here is another report from KOMO News.

    DeSaulnier has called for California's legislative analyst office to review the concerns about the Bay Bridge safety and Kiewit Construction.

    "If they have hidden information in the testing, if they've failed the testing, that's what the extra investigation that we are going through right now hopefully will find out for us," he said.

    But Kiewit also had problems with foundations for another California structure. Piller says CalTrans rejected nearly 80 percent of the concrete piles Kiewit built for the Benicia Martinez Bridge
    1. GlenP_2 posted on 12/20/2012 01:21 PM
      @howards_1187 That won't be a problem on this bridge as we allowed Kiewit to do their own Quality Control - who's gonna know?
  8. DavidSB posted on 12/20/2012 09:56 AM
    So first they give us the BC Place roof which can't close in the rain. Then we get a bridge that doesn't function properly in freezing weather conditions. How could they not take these two weather related events into account in Vancouver?

    Did I forget to mention they have to shut down skytrain when it gets too icy?

    What is going to happen to this region during a real disaster?
    1. commonsense posted on 12/20/2012 12:04 PM
      @DavidSB We all stay home. Snow Day!!!!
    2. speakup posted on 12/20/2012 12:36 PM
      @DavidSB what? you expect Professionals to be doing these things?
      People that have work ethics and pride and maybe a BRAIN?
      Come on man - no body cares about doing a GOOD JOB!
      Just a paycheque and feeling important
      (fancyarse lunch, dinner and oooohhh the glamour)
      and don't forget the SEVERENCE package!

      Is it really possible to evolve with progress but to get STOOPIDER?
    show more replies
  9. JimP_5079 posted on 12/20/2012 10:23 AM
    It really pisses me off when I screw up and make a mistake I pay but when some contract makes a mistake and screws up I still pay only in this case it will be twice once through taxes and second through ICBC having to spend dollars. Let the bloody contractor dig it out of his "f-ing pocket. An MInister Polak don't try and feedme a breakfast of once in a trillion or billion or what ever.
    1. speakup posted on 12/20/2012 12:38 PM
      @JimP_5079 Never any accountablility by the people that should be held accountable!

      THIS IS SOOOOOO WRONG
      Take away their paycheques - FIRE THEM ALL
      and what if someone did die??

      An appology would sufice? This is CRAP!
      Remove all the TROLLS from BC
  10. HedgeH posted on 12/21/2012 02:45 AM
    I love the opening question - "what went wrong", well duh!! We know what went wrong genius journalist, rather, you should have asked how could this have been prevented. I`ll tell you something. I worked on the skytrain bridge and when the budget nears it`s end, corners are cut. But, my guess with the Port Mann is this is BC and such a `wet` climate we will never face ice on cables. This may not have been a problem if the post tension cable attached the towers the same way as the skybridge. These cables in question hover the traffic and it was sloppy engineering not to factor in all weather conditions regardless.
  11. bctaxpayer posted on 12/21/2012 07:15 AM
    Risky Clark and the BC lie beral party are to blame this was their baby.Don't let them blame anyone else..Risky must take the blame she has lived in the north loooooog enough.
    1. commonsense posted on 12/21/2012 08:42 AM
      @bctaxpayer Successfully convince us all why this is entirely their fault.
  12. joes_2868 posted on 12/21/2012 02:38 PM
    Ken280: The readers consultant with a briefcase 50 miles away from home. The readers request more high blood pressure readings! 10 seat majority at the most either way over the other.
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