2024 Award for Design and Contract Preparation - Structures

Nominees

The nominees for the 2024 Award of Excellence for Design and Contract Preparation – Structures are:

Thurber Engineering Ltd. & McElhanney Ltd.

Project: Highway 1 – Malahat Tunnel Hill Washout Project
Location: Highway 1, 1 km north of Finlayson Arm Road

In November 2021, an atmospheric river devastated Highway 1 in the Malahat. For more than 60 hours, 182 millimeters of rainfall led to drainage failure, causing the Tunnel Hill wall structure to collapse.,

Thurber Engineering Ltd. and McElhanney Ltd. collaborated on the challenging task of designing the repair to Highway 1 at the Tunnel Hill washout. As the primary route for 35,000 daily commuters, the Malahat posed dual challenges of slope stability and traffic. Combining Thurber's geotechnical expertise with McElhanney's design finesse, they created a comprehensive solution, including a resilient 100-meter-long retaining wall.

The team's impressive response time was also notable. They completed temporary design and repairs within 18 hours and re-established continuous two-way traffic in four days. The project exemplifies resilience, coordination, responsiveness and partnership. 

Kiewit Engineering Group Canada ULC

Project: Coquihalla Highway 5 Reinstatement Project
Location: Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5) between Hope and Merritt

The Coquihalla Highway 5 reinstatement project included designing, procuring, and constructing six replacement bridges at the Jessica, Juliet, and Bottletop sites on Highway 5, restoring four lanes of traffic by the winter of 2022-23.

Kiewit Engineering Group Canada ULC played a pivotal role in the project delivery, collaborating on design aspects and ensuring seamless coordination between construction, design, and Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure teams. The project faced inherent challenges, including a need to act quickly and address diverse risks. Safety protocols, quality assurance through weekly reviews, innovative QR code use, and proactive measures characterized the project's approach.

The project showcased innovation, adaptability to climate change, technology integration, and adherence to the community and engagement plan, resulting in a successful completion ahead of schedule and under budget.

Winner

Thurber Engineering Ltd. & McElhanney Ltd.

Project: Highway 1 – Malahat Tunnel Hill Washout Project
Location: Highway 1, 1 km north of Finlayson Arm Road