Project Overview

Graham served as General Contractor for the Edmonton–Strathcona County Footbridge project, officially named Amisk Wâciw Âsokan (Beaver Hills Bridge). The 230-metre pedestrian bridge creates a new connection between northeast Edmonton and Strathcona County while linking users to more than 100 kilometres of trail networks throughout the North Saskatchewan River Valley, including a continuous trail corridor extending from Devon to Fort Saskatchewan.

The bridge name, gifted by Elder Dr. Jerry Saddleback, recognizes the historical and cultural significance of the area and honours the heritage of the region’s original inhabitants.

Construction began in June 2023 following extensive engagement with stakeholder groups focused on sustainable development within the river valley.

Bridge Design and Public Realm Features

Designed as a three-span, S-shaped steel tub girder bridge with a cast-in-place concrete deck, the structure was developed to provide both connectivity and an enhanced user experience within the surrounding landscape.

Project features include concrete gathering plazas at each end of the bridge, shared asphalt pathways connecting to existing trail systems, a flexible wearing surface over the bridge deck, and viewing lookouts positioned above each pier. These lookout areas incorporate overhead canopy structures and precast concrete benches to create opportunities for rest and river valley viewing.

Complex Construction in a Sensitive Environment

Construction presented significant technical and environmental challenges, particularly related to in-stream pier construction and girder erection within the North Saskatchewan River.

To access pier locations, two large clay berms with rip rap armouring were constructed during the Class A waterbody Restricted Access Period while maintaining an open channel for rivercraft navigation and fish passage. Environmental protection measures included continuous turbidity monitoring, turbidity containment systems, modified construction methods to reduce sediment disturbance, and stringent protocols designed to prevent spills and protect the surrounding ecosystem.

Sheet pile cofferdams installed at each pier location provided safe construction access and served as secondary sealing systems during construction of the cast-in-place concrete piles. Embedded three metres into the riverbed, the two 14-metre-tall bridge piers were classified as mass concrete elements and required extensive heating and hoarding to maintain concrete quality during winter construction conditions.

Delivering Complex Bridge Construction

Bridge erection utilized the temporary berm access and included a mid-air crane transfer and tandem crane lift to place the two centre-span girder segments above the active river channel.

Following steel erection, the cast-in-place concrete bridge deck was completed through six carefully sequenced concrete pours. Extensive girder and haunch analysis was undertaken to manage complex deflection characteristics across the bridge’s curved geometry and achieve the intended final alignment.

Integration with the surrounding landscape included placement of up to five metres of clay fill, construction of curved concrete retaining walls, circular gathering plazas, and approximately 600 metres of asphalt pathway. Final site restoration incorporated nearly 20,000 trees and shrubs to support a naturalized transition between the bridge and the surrounding river valley environment.