This November 2022 project in Grindrod, BC, was an interesting one as the headwalls and footings were prefabricated off-site to allow for a faster installation — which was required to get it completed before winter took hold.
The 19.6 m long Bolt-A-Plate Arch was assembled in place on the precast footings and then the headwalls were lifted into place. The headwalls were the largest precast headwalls ever used for an arch in the Okanagan Valley.
Managing delivery expectations and blizzard delays on culvert project…
The first challenge on this project was managing the contractor’s delivery expectations. To meet an installation window prior to winter, the arch would need to be on-site far sooner than was possible.
We addressed this issue head-on at the outset and, as it turned out, it allowed the customer better time to plan for the project, which included turning around their deliverables (PO, drawings) on schedule and having a winter-preparedness plan in place.
For our part, we coordinated with our manufacturing and logistics teams and provided constant progress updates. Once all components were delivered, installation began.
Blizzard delays backfilling of new culvert
We were on-site for start-up with the first-time installer when there were some assembly questions. These questions were quickly answered, which allowed the project to stay on track. However, November can be very wintery in this area at times and this one created a blizzard delay at the backfill stage. Tarps were deployed and patience was required to delay backfilling until after the weather system had passed.
Our project partners told us it was a good project for them. It was their first Bolt-A-Plate installation, and the installation demo and on-site service was key to completing the project before freeze-up.
