Pier 5 Rehabilitation for Reversing Falls Rail Bridge

The Reversing Falls Railway Bridge was originally built in 1885. A replacement span was constructed and opened in 1922. The 372 metre “new” steel truss bridge consists of a cantilevered steel truss bridge over the Saint John River and is supported by eleven reinforced concrete piers. Along with providing rail access to Saint John, the bridge supports the Lorneville Pipeline from Irving Oil’s Canaport facility to the Coleson Cove Generating Station as well as water supply pipes for The City of Saint John.

Over time, the concrete piers have deteriorated due to a combination of alkali aggregate reactivity and freeze-thaw cycles. With increased demand for rail traffic, we undertook a multi-year project to rehabilitate the eleven reinforced concrete piers. 

We prepared the technical specifications, bid forms, design drawings, and provided engineering consultation and recommendations for award to the owner. We were also contracted to provide field quality control services for pier rehabilitation. The services included QC testing and inspection of concrete and grout, site visits to monitor the extent and depth of repair areas, design services and contractor consultation during the project.