Heart-stopping Cliffwalk bridge opens in North Vancouver.
June 13, 2011
By
Canadian Consulting Engineer
Morrison Hershfield with Wyllie & Norrish Rock Engineers and McElhanney were the consulting engineers who designed the celebrated "Cliffwalk" that opened to the public last week in North Vancouver's Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
Morrison Hershfield with Wyllie & Norrish Rock Engineers and McElhanney were the consulting engineers who designed the celebrated “Cliffwalk” that opened to the public last week in North Vancouver’s Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
The walkway takes visitors on a “heart-stopping” tour through a West Coast rainforest over a series of cantilevered bridges and stairs that protrude from the granite cliff face some 90 metres above the Capilano River.
The curved bridge is 30 metres long and supported on cables. It winds its way alongside the cliff face and incorporates six viewing platforms, two with glass floors and glass guard rails. There is also a set of spiral stairs and eight straight bridges.
The project required complex design and survey services as the structure had to have a minimum impact on the rain forest ecosystem. The structure has an environmental footprint of just 11 square metres. Each custom built section was designed to be built by hand using small, light components, and it was assembled with minimally invasive construction equipment. Most of the structure is steel.
The lead design engineer was Kent LaRose of Morrison Hershfield. LaRose is regional bridge manager for Western Canada for Morrison Hershfield.
To see Kent LaRose discuss the Cliffwalk on YouTube. Click here.
