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
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
'I killed four people': Trial hears video evidence of Jeremy Skibicki at Winnipeg trial
“I killed four people,” alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki told two homicide detectives during a recorded interview played as evidence in his trial Wednesday.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.