Metro Vancouver snow: Watch how crews prevent 'ice bombs' from falling on local bridges
With Metro Vancouver seeing its first snowfall at the city level, the province is preparing to clear buildup on local bridge cables to prevent so-called "ice bombs" from falling.
B.C.'s Transportation Ministry said in an update Friday that contractors are ready to use cable collars to clear snow and ice from the Alex Fraser and Port Mann bridges as needed.
The collars were installed after an "ice bomb" fiasco in 2012, which damaged about 350 vehicles on the Port Mann when built up snow and ice fell from the collars, shattering windshields. Similar incidents have been reported on the Alex Fraser Bridge in recent years, even though the provincial ministry says "falling ice and snow (was) a rare occurrence for the first 30 years of its operation."
The cable collar system was installed in 2018 and includes 10 collars, but they require manual operation by rope-access technicians to clear the cables. The Port Mann Bridge also now has snow-clearing collars on each of its 288 cables.
The ministry says the collars "are basically chains that fit around the bridge cables." As they move down the length of the cable, they remove ice and snow. It takes less than a minute for the collar to travel to the bottom of a cable.
Technicians then manually detach the collars from the cables, move them back to the bridge tower and "hoist them back up to the top of the cables," the ministry says. Outside lanes on the bridge are temporarily closed while the clearing happens.
"In the years that cable collars have been used, they have been successful in removing most of the snow on the cables. However, some snow may be shed naturally from the cables as the weather warms or if it is blown off," the Transportation Ministry said in a statement.
"To better prepare for the weather conditions that lead to falling ice and snow, the ministry has taken steps to improve its weather forecasting and will be activating the cable-collar systems sooner in a weather event."
Before those were installed, the Transportation Ministry used other creative approaches to clear the cables, including a chopper that was flown overhead to blow away snow and ice on at least one occasion in 2016.
Dozens of insurance claims have been filed because of damage from the ice bombs.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.