Item: Prioritizing avalanche mitigation measures for the Trans-Canada Highway through Glacier National Park
-
-
Title: Prioritizing avalanche mitigation measures for the Trans-Canada Highway through Glacier National Park
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings 2018, Innsbruck, Austria
Authors:
- Chris Argue [ Dynamic Avalanche Consulting Ltd., Revelstoke, BC, Canada ]
- Ryan Buhler [ Dynamic Avalanche Consulting Ltd., Revelstoke, BC, Canada ]
- Jeff Goodrich [ Parks Canada, Revelstoke, BC, Canada ]
- Bruce Jamieson [ Snowline Consulting Ltd., Calgary, AB, Canada ]
- Alan Jones [ Dynamic Avalanche Consulting Ltd., Revelstoke, BC, Canada ]
- Jaime Sanderson [ McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd. Canmore, AB, Canada ]
Date: 2018-10-07
Abstract: The Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) through Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park (GNP) is a critical transportation corridor within British Columbia, and a vital link in Canada’s national highway network. The TCH is threatened by 134 avalanche paths through GNP, which cause an average 74 hours of closure per winter and pose significant risk to highway users and workers. Winter average daily traffic through GNP continues to increase every year and, without further avalanche mitigation, will lead to increased risk to highway users and likely increase the frequency and duration of closures. In 2015, the Parks Canada Agency initiated the TCH - Avalanche Mitigation Project for GNP, which aims to reduce avalanche risk to highway users and workers, reduce closure time, and optimize the efficiency of current avalanche risk management operations. Mitigation measures were evaluated using six scoring metrics based on the project objectives. Selected mitigation measures included: permanent avalanche defences, remote avalanche control systems, and a comprehensive avalanche detection network. The mitigation measures selected for construction, and their respective improvement in highway safety and reliability, are summarized. Construction of mitigation measures began in 2016 and will be completed in 2020. This project constitutes the largest permanent infrastructure improvements to the avalanche program since construction of the highway was completed in 1962.
Object ID: ISSW2018_O03.3.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s):
Keywords: Avalanche protection, avalanche risk, highway, risk analysis, project management.
Page Number(s): 218-222
-