|
October 27, 2009
MRC was retained by the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) to develop a vision for transit in 2040 and establish a path to achieve this. The vision was based on an understanding of how current trends and issues are likely to influence communities 30+ years in the future and identifies how transit could maximize its contribution to the quality of life. The Vision was formally presented to government leaders and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities at a conference in June 2009. CUTA has engaged MRC to take this work a step further and align the Association’s business planning process with Transit Vision 2040. This work will be concluded in May 2010.
October 28, 2009
MRC is completing the field inspection and evaluation of fifty (50) remote right-of-way access bridges for Hydro One. This challenging assignment required access by all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and, in some cases, helicopters to access the bridges, which are located throughout Northern Ontario. Inspection reporting will be completed following the bridge Inspection Manual of Public Works and Government Services Canada which was also developed by MRC.
October 1, 2009
The West Toronto Diamond project is a key component of the proposed Metrolinx/GO Transit Georgetown/Weston commuter rail link. The project involves the construction of a new rail-rail grade separation. The depressed corridor will extend approximately one kilometre, from Dupont Street to St. Clair Avenue. Inter-locking steel pipe piles are being used to form the outer walls of the depressed corridor. All piles are currently being installed under a separate contract that will be completed in mid-2010. The main contract will be tendered and awarded in 2010. This contract includes the construction of several precast, prestressed, rail carrying bridges that will be erected by lateral sliding during rail track blocks.
MRC’s Construction Management Team is currently assisting GO Transit with contract administration on the Advance Piling Contract, as well as the programming of the next series of Contracts that will complete this major $ 277 M rail grade separation project.
September 1, 2009
MRC’s Ottawa bridge staff continues to be busy in the firm’s role as the Independent Engineer for the Honoré Mercier Bridge Redecking Project. The Honoré Mercier Bridge spans the St. Lawrence River and Seaway on the western side of the island of Montreal. The strengthening and redecking of the 1.3 km long bridge will be the largest bridge rehabilitation project in Canadian history and will be undertaken in two contracts. The bridge deck is being replaced using precast, pre-stressed deck units. The first design-build contract (Contract A) has a contract value of $ 66 M and will be complete by 2010.
October 15, 2009
MRC recently commenced the Preliminary Design and Class Environmental Assessment for the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) between Hurontario Street and Mississauga Road in Mississauga. This challenging assignment must address the key concerns of municipal road congestion on approaching roadways/ramps, the poor condition of the existing QEW Credit River Bridge, noise and air quality concerns, the existing narrow right-of-way, and the complex staging that will be associated with improvements to this heavily travelled section of the QEW.
May 15, 2009
On May 15, 2009 Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty announced that construction of 4-laning will start on a section of the Trans-Canada Highway next year with equal contributions by both levels of government totaling to $100M. This announcement coincides with the start-up of a new MRC assignment to carry out planning and preliminary design for this project. Since the announcement, due the priority of the project, planning has been split into three sections that will each lead to separate deliverables. The first two transportation environmental assessment reports are due to be completed by the Fall of 2009 – a 5 month period. The remainder of the planning will be on a more traditional schedule.
June 9, 2009
MRC is in the initial stages of an environmental assessment for the Highway 401 improvements through Cambridge, Ontario to the Halton Regional Boundary. The study involves potential widening of the highway from six to eight and ultimately ten lanes and improving existing interchanges. Various design alternatives will be evaluated to address operational, capacity and geometric deficiencies through the stretch. The study is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2010.
May 13, 2009
MRC’s design of the Clyde Avenue Bridge, Rapid Replacement on Hwy 17 in Ottawa received an Award of Excellence in the Engineering Category at CISC’s Ontario Region 2009 Steel Design Awards held at the Mississauga Living Arts Centre on May 13, 2009.
The firm’s design of the Sioux Narrows Bridge Replacement in Northern Ontario was selected as the Best Converted Project for Projects Converted to Steel at the same 19th Annual Ontario Steel Design Awards.
We are pleased to note that we have made dramatic improvements to the Worldwide Arterial HOV Lane Database portion of the MRC web site, with added features and more detail on every operating facility on four continents. With updated operational descriptions, project photos, project reports, maps, and direct links to project web sites, all organized in an easy-to-use interface, MRC’s HOV lane resources are now fully available to researchers and the public. We will continue to add content over the coming months as we keep abreast of this transportation phenomenon.
Simply click on “High Occupancy Vehicle Systems” under “Services”, then click on the link to “Worldwide Arterial HOV Database” at the top of the page. On the project listing, be sure to click on “Details” to get the full picture of each facility.
The Region of Waterloo's Smart about Salt initiative is one of the first comprehensive salt management programs in Canada developed for contractors and facility operators. It ensures both winter safety and the protection of the Region's drinking water. Ecoplans Limited was instrumental in the development and roll-out of the program and will be providing training and technical assistance as the program grows.
In 2007, the repair/rehabilitation of the historic Ranney Falls Swing Bridge was completed while the repair/rehabilitation of the historic Carrying Place Swing Bridge has been started. MRC has been once again successful in securing the standing offer for engineering services on the historic Lasalle Causeway Bascule Lift Bridge in Kingston.
2007 has been a busy year for building restoration. Over 15 building restoration projects have been completed or are underway at CFB Kingston involving roofing, masonry, windows and door restoration. We are also presently completing various phases of construction on Kingston City Hall, the Frontenac County Court House and Registry Building and, federal buildings within the City. All are comprehensive projects dealing with the complete building envelopes, some as part of the master plans developed by MRC’s engineers.
MRC's design for the rapid replacement of twin bridges on Highway 417 in Ottawa described as an extraordinary piece of engineering (http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/features/bridge/index.html).
On August 11, for the first time in Canada, twin bridges on the Trans-Canada highway were replaced overnight using rapid-lift technology. The $ 8.6 Million replacement of the bridges over Island Park Drive utilized large self-propelled mobile transporters to replace both bridges in 17 hours. Hwy 417 (Ottawa Queensway) carries over 150,000 vehicles per day. MRC is currently completing the design for the replacement of eight other bridges on Hwy 17 for MTO using the same technology.
McCormick Rankin International has recently initiated its first transportation project in India, working closely with another Canadian firm: SENES. The study is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency Industrial Cooperation (CIDA Inc).
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, with a population of about 3.4 million people, has requested assistance in carrying out a feasibility study for developing a Bus Rapid Transit System with emphasis on improving the traffic and consequently improving public transit, reducing private vehicle use and improving air quality.
The project must meet the requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) and the local Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF), India. The EA will focus on selected components for the potential corridor to the extent that a feasibility study can address these requirements.
The 19.5km corridor extends from downtown Hyderabad to a suburban growth area known for its Intelligent Technology (IT) business hub – the biggest IT hub in India.
MRC is part of a Joint Venture team designing a section of one of the biggest highway projects in the world. The Algerian East-West Auto Route is a 1,200 km 6-lane facility divided into three 400 km design/build packages. MRC is working for a Japanese contracting consortium, COJAAL, on the easterly 400 km section. MRC’s initial assignment is for 44 km of motorway, including preliminary design and detail design of the road itself and 36 bridges.
In Joint Venture with another firm, MRC is providing Construction Administration services to the TTC for their major State of Good Repair Program. This assignment extends over five years and covers many different projects being undertaken by the Commission.
Ecoplans Limited president, Bob Hodgins is a leading authority on road salt management issues in Canada. His work has included preparing the Transportation Association of Canada's Salt Management Guide. (www.ecoplans.com)
The Queenston-Lewiston International Bridge Fifth Lane project is recognized by yet another award, a Canadian Consulting Engineering Award of Excellence in Transportation, at the CCE Annual Awards Gala held in Ottawa - October 2006.
MRC's Chief Engineer, Dr. Roy Skelton, made a presentation on the Risk Management Assessment undertaken for the Hwy 417 Bridges Rapid Lift Superstructure Replacement at the CSVA Annual Conference in Toronto - October 2006.
MRC’s Doug Dixon, Manager of the Mississauga Structural Department, presented a paper on the seismic retrofit of the Queenston-Lewiston Arch Bridge at the 6th World Congress on Expansion Joints, Bearings & Seismic Design of Concrete Structures held in Halifax, NS (http://www.ijbrc.org)
|
