Municipality of Ethelbert Replaces Critical River Crossing with Armtec BRIDGE-PLATE® Box Culvert
Owner:
Municipality of Ethelbert
Engineer:
Stantec
Contractor:
Tri-Core Projects LTD.
Location: South Garland River, Ethelbert, MB
Product Utilized:
BRIDGE-PLATE®
The Challenge
Increasingly severe weather events and spring flooding continue to place significant strain on aging municipal infrastructure across rural Manitoba. In 2022, heavy spring runoff washed out the existing South Garland River crossing in Ethelbert, MB, disrupting access for the surrounding community and highlighting the growing impact of climate-related events on local transportation networks. For smaller municipalities, unexpected infrastructure failures can create substantial financial and logistical challenges, particularly when emergency replacements must be completed within limited budgets and tight construction timelines. In addition to replacing the failed crossing, the project team also faced complex site-specific design challenges related to the nearby intersection and existing drainage conditions. The steel sheet piling wingwall configuration required careful coordination to accommodate local drainage requirements, including the integration of an 800 mm diameter corrugated steel pipe (CSP) projecting through the wingwall structure.
The Solution
Following the success of previous installations, Stantec engaged Armtec in February 2024 to develop a replacement crossing solution for the South Garland River site. After evaluating the project’s structural and hydraulic requirements, a BRIDGE-PLATE box culvert measuring 9 m span by 3 m rise was selected.
The large-span, low-rise configuration provided the hydraulic opening required for the watercourse while maintaining the roadway profile and supporting live traffic loads with relatively low cover requirements. This was an ideal choice as the stream was wide with low rise. To further optimize the design, steel sheet pile headwalls were incorporated to create vertical retaining walls, helping reduce overall structure length, excavation, backfill quantities, and construction costs.
The wingwalls were customized to accommodate the adjacent intersection, roadway geometry, and existing drainage constraints, including the integration of an 800 mm diameter CSP projecting through the wingwall to support local drainage requirements.
As a modular structure, BRIDGE-PLATE could be transported efficiently and assembled on site. Armtec also facilitated a comprehensive pre-construction meeting with Tri-Core, helping support an efficient installation that was completed on schedule for the municipality.
