Skip to main content

The Sir Ambrose Shea lift bridge wins key award

The Sir Ambrose Shea lift bridge has received a transportation award of merit. The structure was designed by Parsons and has been given the 2017 Transportation Award of Merit from the Consulting Engineers of Ontario (CEO). As sole prime consultant, Parsons also provided project management and engineering services during construction. Located on the Avalon Peninsula in the town of Placentia, NL, the Sir Ambrose Shea Lift Bridge provides a connection while supporting the region’s commercial fishing industry.
April 25, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
The Sir Ambrose Shea lift bridge has received a transportation award of merit. The structure was designed by 3220 Parsons and has been given the 2017 Transportation Award of Merit from the Consulting Engineers of Ontario (CEO). As sole prime consultant, Parsons also provided project management and engineering services during construction.


Located on the Avalon Peninsula in the town of Placentia, NL, the Sir Ambrose Shea Lift Bridge provides a connection while supporting the region’s commercial fishing industry. The bridge is raised approximately 2,400 times/year and is one of the few vertical lift bridges in Canada.

Parsons’ design and detailing of the bridge provided for construction of the substructure, approach spans, and lift-span towers without encroaching on the navigation channel. Disruption of boat navigation through the narrow waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the inner harbour was limited to a few days during construction of the lift span and commissioning of the new bridge.

The link was opened to traffic on September 23rd, 2016 and features two vehicle lanes on each side, as well as pedestrian sidewalks. In addition it carries power and communication utilities. The Sir Ambrose Shea Lift Bridge also received a 2016 Design Award of Excellence from the Quebec Region of the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • New Midtown Tunnel open in Virginia
    January 30, 2017
    A project to construct the second Midtown Tunnel link in the US state of Virginia alongside the original connection has taken an important step forward – Mike Woof writes Commuters in the US state of Virginia will be pleased that the new Midtown Tunnel is now open to traffic, as it will help to boost capacity and cut congestion on the busy US 58 route connecting Norfolk and Portsmouth. The 1.13km tunnel link has been built to link with the interchange at Brambleton Avenue and Hampton Boulevard in Norfolk
  • 3M and 407 ETR have it taped on a major motorway near Toronto
    August 1, 2019
    Canadian motorway concessionaire 407 ETR, in partnership with 3M Canada, is testing 3M's pavement marking tapes for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems on 2.5km of lanes. The initiative is part of the 407 ETR Living Labs programme of innovation to promote safety and next-generation transportation along the 140km route that opened in 1997 and was extended last year. King's Highway 407 is a tolled 400-series highway in the province of Ontario comprising a privately leased segment and publicly owned segm
  • Hinergia bridge project finds federal funding
    March 27, 2017
    A budget worth nearly US$252 million will help pay for bridge design and construction work as well as bridge repair activities in 12 states across Nigeria. The budget has been approved by Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC). Meanwhile $475 million is being budgeted for the engineering and consultancy work required for the Second Niger Bridge that will connect the city of Asaba in Delta State with Onitsha in Anambra State. The new bridge is desperately required as the existing structure is in poor cond
  • Northern Spire wins award from UK’s Association for Project Management
    November 30, 2018
    The Northern Spire bridge in Sunderland, northern England, has beaten off stiff competition to win another national construction and engineering award. The Spire, which opened in August this year at a cost of €132 million, was named Project of the Year: Engineering, Construction and Infrastructure 2018 by the UK’s Association for Project Management. The award is the latest honour for Sunderland’s 105m-tall cable-stayed bridge which links Castletown on the north side of the River Wear with Pallion.