Welding problems 'cause further delays to Canadian bridge'

06 April 2011

Posted by Michelle Devonshire

A crossing in Canada has been dogged by problems and the welding of some of its sections has caused further delays to the official opening.

Situated in Calgary, the ambitious Peace Bridge has been designed by Santiago Calatrava and has not yet been unveiled as it has proven more complex than initially thought, according to the Calgary Sun.

The latest delay to its opening is being blamed on problems concerning welding carried out by a company in Spain on the project after inconsistencies were found in pieces inspected by crews carrying out spot checks.

Mac Logan, Calgary's General Manager of Transportation, stated more examinations will now be undertaken, adding: "We are not satisfied the quality is where we need it - until we are, we aren’t going to move forward."

Spanning the Bow River in Alberta, the pedestrian crossing has attracted criticism over its $25 million (£16 million) cost and was initially scheduled to be in operation by October 2010, but now a revised date of June 2011 looks at risk.

The Peace Bridge has a complex helical design and the glass and steel structure is reliant upon the strength of the assembly welds, as it acts as a single unit.