Redecking of Lions Gate Bridge awaits provincial nod By CHRIS LLOYD Major structural engineering work totalling $8 million has been carried out to Lions Gate Bridge and the bridge is now ready for redecking, which will bring the total refurbishing bill up to about $35 million. But as to when the deck replacement work — which will involve closing the bridge every weekend for several weeks — will begin is a mystery. North Vancouver Capi- lano MLA Angus Ree has told the News that the Lions Gate Bridge work lags behind correcting the Second Narrows’ Bridge bottleneck at Cassiar in provincial pnonty. Once the Cassiar work has been carried out, he adds. Second Narrows Bridge is likely to be able to take a 40 per cent increase in traffic volume, thereby further relieving Lions Gate Bridge. Engineer Peter Buckland, of Buckland and Taylor, the firm handling the Lions Gate work, says that whenever it occurs, people will just have to adjust to not using the bridge while it is being redecked to replace the surface which has taken a severe beating over the years from salt used for snowclearing and from studded winter tires Costwise, he considers 1t worth the trouble as the renovations will amount to half the cost of building a completely new comparable three-lane bDmndge INADEQUATE Reminded that the three lane crossing ois already hopelessly inadequate — for the traffic volume, Buckland comments that a_ six-lane bridge would cost twice the cost to construct. In the past he has seriously considereu adding a further three lanes to the bridge above the present deck but rules it out as being im- practical because of upkeep costs. The additional deck would have to be so light and flexible because of the additional load being placed ‘on the bridge structure that it would be springy to the extent that the road surface would be forever cracking and requiring repair. All in all, he’s convinced the present upgrading of the bridge is the best way to go about things. A crucial piece of engineernng that has been carried out has been correcting the warpage of a bent which is a vital element in the bridge's support which became twisted because of the stresses placed upon it. The bent — a 167 ft. vertical column = supporting the main suspension cable on ws way to the bridge's north tower had warped to a degree that was not per- ceptible to the eye, due to the strain of the daily pounding of traffic Crossing - the bmdpe as well as to movement from setthng of foundation blocks Buckland and his) com pany eventually overcame IMPORTANT EXHIBITION FEATURING NORTH SHORE ARTISTS CAPILANO IROOM INTERNATIONAL PLAZA HOTEL 1999 MARINE DRIVE, NORTH VANCOUVER MONDAY OCTOBER 2O, I98O NOON TO 8 P.M. Sunday October 19,1980 By Invitation Only For Invitation Phone 684- 4295 the problem by hinging the entire column so it could rotate and be free from stress. Though the bent is not absolutely vertical it is now completely straight and this unique solution by Buckland has been hailed as a piece of engineering brilliance. GARBAGE Buckland dismisses as “garbage” claims made in the Province newspaper that the bent had been so dangerous that a strong wind could have blown down the enure bndge any time dunng the 18 months it was being repaired. He candidly states: “If it collapsed,the bridge would come down too.” But he adds that at no time was there a lkehhood of it collapsing and that motorists using the bridge were never in any danger from the situation, which was monitored daily “We set up a foolproof system where we would CONTINUED ON PAGE AS ANNOUNCES AN A3-Wednesday, October 15, 1980 - North Shore News IT’S OLD AND WORN but Lions Gate Bridge is still about the best value for money for a crossing over the First Narrows to the North Shore, according to engineer Peter Buckiand, in spite of the expensive redecking that still has to be carried out. (Terry Peters photo) fl vest vancouvers VANCOUVERS won WOK, _ Gourmet Cantonese Cusine EERE 926-7371 QUALITY VITAMINS DISCOUNT SAVINGS tee Wwe of SALE ENDS SATURDAY! VITAMIN C LECITHIN 500 mg. 1200 mg with nat. rose hips ” 100 279 100 299 250 619 250 6 88 500-1179 500 11 88 A&D halibut liver oit 10,000 j.u. - 400 iu. ZINC 50mg 100 199 250 399 500 6 99 100 2 29 250 488 500 8 66 VITAMIN DISCOUNT WAREHOUSE 312 E. Esplanade, North Vancouver, B.C.V7L 1A4 988-3454. ALSO INSIDE Highlanders PAGE BI What's happening PAGE B10 A novel approach PAGE Cl chocolate PAGE C7 Automotive Gir Claseaified Al? Community Round up At Church Otroctory 66 Entertainment 66 Haydon Stewan C8 Maltibo. al Sports a. Travol C6 TV Time Co What s Going On BS