This is the north elevation sign, just a few metres off the northeast end of the bridge. The two elevation signs are essentially identical, each supplying the elevation of the bridge deck as well as its length and height above the canyon floor.
Built in 1951, the bridge is 286 metres (938.3 feet) long and stands 91 metres (nearly 300 feet) above the bottom of Rock Creek Canyon and Rock Creek itself. Located 12 km. (7.5 miles) west of Rock Creek and 37 km. (23 miles) east of Osoyoos, this is one of the tallest bridges along the Crowsnest Highway. The bridge rests on concrete seats at each end, concrete piers supporting the inner ends of the outer spans, and tall steel truss piers reaching down to the valley walls which support the long centre span, which is arched between the spans.
While serving Crowsnest traffic well for 4 decades, it was decided in the early '90s that it was in need of upgrading to meet the requirements of traffic of the day. As a result, the bridge, rather than being replaced, was upgraded and strengthened, the deck widened from 7.3 metres (24 feet) to 10 metres (33 feet).
Rock Creek Canyon Bridge
The original stringer-supported bridge was constructed in 1951. It was designed to comply with the HS20 design codes released by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, which were current at the time.
In the early 1990s, the government of British Columbia, responsible for the upkeep of Rock Creek Canyon Bridge, reviewed it and decided that the structure was not wide enough to cope with modern traffic. Instead of replacing the bridge altogether, significant alterations to the bridge were made in 1992, a much less expensive option. The capacity of the structure was increased to comply with more rigorous and up-to-date design codes. The deck was widened, from 7.3 metres (24 ft) to 10 metres (33 ft), and was made of composite steel and concrete. Additionally, some seismic improvements were undertaken and the bridge was repainted. These works were designed and supervised by
Buckland and Taylor Ltd, a bridge engineering firm, and the project was delivered on time and under budget. The construction works were phased, keeping one lane open at all times to minimize the traffic disruption that a full closure would cause.
From Wiki