Our Projects
Raising the Bar at Every Turn
Engineering Design and Innovation
Every project that Harbourside undertakes is backed by our commitment to engineering excellence. Our work is characterized by thorough communication and comprehensive design. We see the whole picture. At every step, Harbourside redefines the meaning of quality engineering. With seasoned professionals from every sector of the industry, we are able to solve even the most technically challenging projects. Both throughout Atlantic Canada, and on the international stage, our work has been recognized by highest supervising bodies. The award-winning projects below are a testament to the calibre of the engineering performed at Harbourside.
Fort York Pedestrian Bridge
Dufferin Construction was awarded a design-build contract for the design and construction of two pedestrian bridges in Ontario, providing a link between Stanley Park and the Western area of Fort York grounds. ES Fox was subsequently awarded the contract for the bridge steel superstructure erections, retaining Harbourside to complete the erection engineering. Construction began in 2015 and was completed in 2019, and Harbourside was awarded the Award for Excellence in Bridge Projects from the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction.
Marie Bridge Alternate Design
The Marie Bridge, located in King’s County Prince Edward Island, is a bridge situated over a small watercourse feeding the St. Peter’s Bay. Working with Highfield Construction, Harbourside Engineering Consultants produced an alternate design for the new structure, featuring integral abutments and reducing the total piling requirements by half. Harbourside designed a temporary detour bridge and detailed the detour alignment around the site, enabling the work on the replacement structure to proceed without interference from traffic.
Macdonald Bridge Foundation Retrofit
As part of the deck replacement for the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge in Halifax, Nova Scotia, existing bridge elements remaining in service were analyzed for the new loading conditions. Due to the decrease in deck weight and revised wind loads, the analyses indicated a potential overturning instability in the Halifax Cable Bent foundations. Rock anchors were selected as a means of remediating this instability, which were designed by Harbourside Engineering based on the hold down requirements indicated by the numerical analysis.
Wagner Brook Bridge
In 2013, Harbourside worked with Alvan Construction to design the new Wagner Brook bridge in Queen’s County, Nova Scotia. The original tender called a solution requiring significant costly in-water work, so Harbourside worked with Alva Construction to develop an alternate design following project award that spanned the full water width with a single structure and perched the piled abutments out of the water. Along with a superior final product, the alternate design provided significant cost savings to our client.
Fletcher Hebb Bridge Replacement
Dexter Construction was awarded the design-build contract for the demolition and replacement of the existing Fletcher Hebb Bridge in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, for the NS Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. Harbourside Engineering was hired by both Dexter and Shaw Precast to carry out the design of the new bridge and provide construction engineering services. The project was completed on time, on budget, and within the seven-day permitted road closure.
Caribou Ferry Terminal (Part 2): Repairs and Upgrades
Harbourside completed an assessment of the existing condition of a variety of marine structures at the Caribou Ferry Terminal, an important access point between Prince Edward Island and the mainland in Caribou, Nova Scotia. Harbourside oversaw the assessment of various structures, including the steel sheet pile (SSP) walls, SSP caissons, and concrete cribs. Following the assessment, Harbourside Engineering completed repair prioritization and initial cost estimates for a variety of repairs required around the facility.
Waverley Road Rapid Bridge Replacements
Waverley Road is a high traffic density artery for commuters traveling from Waverley to Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Harbourside Engineering Consultants was hired to develop and design panel bridge abutments for two separate structures: the Little Rawdon River Bridge and the Golden Brook Bridge. Harbourside accomplished the rapid replacement of the existing timber bridges using precast modular footings, beams seats and ballast walls. The existing timber bridges were each removed and replaced in two days.
Northport Bridge Replacement Alternate
Harbourside Engineering Consultants was hired by Alva Construction to provide an alternate design for the replacement of the Northport Bridge, spanning the Shinimicas River in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, along Route 366. The alternate design, completed by Harbourside, resulted in significant cost savings for the contractor as well as the NS Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal by reducing the number of girders in the structure from the parent design, as well as significantly reducing the number of piles in the abutments.
Little Bras d’Or Cofferdam, Trestle and Bridge Replacement
The Little Bras D’Or bridge acts as the only non-load related link to the Newfoundland ferry in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, and was slated for replacement in 2010. Following the development of the Little Bras D’Or Cofferdam and Trestle, Harbourside was involved with the replacement of the existing bridge structure. The bridge, located on Highway 105 in Cape Breton County, is a two span twin trapezoidal steel box girder bridge spanning over St. Andrew’s Channel, and it is integral to keep Newfoundland and Nova Scotia connected.
Canal Bridge Replacement
The Canal Bridge over Rights River in Antigonish is an important connector for the community. As part of the main street that bisects the town, it acts as an integral transportation artery. Unfortunately, by 2008, the aging structure needed to be replaced. Harbourside completed the design of the new bridge in 2009. Construction was then done during the 2010 and 2011 construction seasons.
Caribou Ferry Terminal (Part 1): Harbour Planning
Public Works and Government Services Canada hired Harbourside Engineering Consultants to carry out preliminary engineering and planning for proposed upgrades to the existing harbour located in Caribou, Nova Scotia. These upgrades were intended to provide increased protection to vessels in the harbour, increased berthage, and increased service areas for off-loading operations. This project was conducted prior to the founding of Harbourside Geotechnical Consultants, which necessitated the assistance of additional subcontractors.
Chéticamp River Bridge Replacement
The former Chéticamp River Bridge underwent a detailed inspection in 2006, resulting in a recommendation that the structure be completely replaced. In response, Public Works and Government Services Canada issued a call for proposals for the replacement of the bridge in 2008. Harbourside began design work on the new bridge in 2009 and created comprehensive three-dimensional finite element models for its construction. Harbourside was later awarded the 2011 CISC Atlantic Chapter Steel Design Award for Engineering Excellence for the design of this project.
Highfield Park Pedestrian Bridge
Harbourside Engineering Consultants was engaged in 2009 by the Halifax Regional Municipality for a pedestrian crossing across Highway 111, from Highfield Park to the Burnside Industrial Park in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. A 45-meter single span steel plate girder pedestrian bridge was designed by Harbourside, located adjacent to the existing Burnside Drive underpass structure, allowing for a future widening of Highway 111 below from four lanes of traffic to six.
Davison Bridge
The Davison Bridge in Hants County, Nova Scotia, was the first project to be fully completed by Harbourside Engineering Consultants after its founding in 2008. Dexter Construction requested that Harbourside complete a preliminary design of an alternate bridge design, in attempt to minimize the required size of the abutments. Harbourside re-designed the Davison structure, allowing Dexter to gain approval of the alternate from NS Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. The alternate design and construction were completed within the original construction schedule.
Moriah Bridges Self Launching Bridge Erection
Solel Boneh, an Isreal-based contractor, awarded the design of a self-launching erection gantry to CBCL Limited in association with Tony Gee International to erect three multi-span precast segmental concrete box girder bridges near Jerusalem, Isreal. Robbie Fraser, who would found Harbourside Engineering lead the design. This resulted in significant savings on steel weight and therefore reduced costs as well as construction loads on the partially constructed bridge. Completed in January 2004, the innovative and complex gantry design won the 2007 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Engineering Excellence.