Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure - Government of Saskatchewan retained Associated Engineering to analyze the Outlook Truss Bridge, perform a condition assessment and investigate rehabilitation options to provide a limited extension of the service life by 15-20 years. If feasible, the bridge would be used for recreational traffic including snowmobiles, ATVs, pedestrians, bicycles and horses.
The bridge was built in 1936 as the primary crossing of the South Saskatchewan River on Highway 15. It is a six-span crossing, 347.7 metre long, consisting of five steel Pratt through truss spans and one steel I beam span. The bridge was decommissioned in 1998 after construction of a new bridge adjacent to the existing bridge was completed.
We performed a detailed investigation of the bridge in order to confirm the general arrangement of the bridge, assess the general condition of the members, verify the loads and load paths of the structure, and identify other aspects that may affect the load capacity. Overall, the Outlook Truss Bridge was in poor condition mainly due to extensive deterioration of the concrete deck.