The East Side Road Authority (ESRA) is committed to improving access to Manitoba’s remote First Nation communities. As a part of this overall vision, a series of bridges were proposed to be constructed at key locations on the existing winter road system in the Island Lake region. These bridges have been situated at the Red Sucker River, Mainland River and Stevenson River. The construction of bridges over these rivers is expected to extend the surrounding winter road use by up to 2.5 months. Additionally, the project provided a significant employment opportunity and training for local residents of the various First Nation communities through a strong working relationship with the ESRA. Due to the access and construction equipment limitations associated with these construction sites, Acrow Panel Bridge systems were utilized. A single 61 m clear span was utilized for the Red Sucker and Stevenson River bridges. The Mainland River Bridge has three spans with a total length of 85 m and a clear span of 61 m across the river. Construction of the three bridges commenced in January 2012 and is expected to be completed and opened to traffic for the winter road season of 2014. This paper describes the many challenges associated with designing and constructing bridges in remote Northern Manitoba locations. Some of the major challenges included working in environmentally sensitive areas, limited access to additional equipment and materials, and poor subgrade soils limiting site mobility.
