DYNAMITE DADE DESIGN:The ‘Wing’ will fly

The local nickname for the design is the ‘Wing.’ We’re not quite sure why, but just hope it doesn’t take to the air.

Seriously, it looks pretty solid now we have got hold of some engineering drawings. The key leaning column is of steel plate, fabricated as hexagonal in section over 1m across (3') at the base. It soars 21m high (69') and six cables will hold the 32m (105') suspended canopy truss clear over six manual toll collection lanes, while a single steel rod will suspend the ET equipment beam (13m or 43') over the electronic toll express (ETX) lanes. Reassuring is a tie-down cable at the end of the long canopy, helpful no doubt in high winds when the suspended truss arrangement will be subject to uplift.

MDX is a little sensitive to the charge that this is an extravagent design. Rodrigues says the Wing is being built as just part of a larger $28m contract that also involves widening of the mainline, rebuilding of a bridge and complete reconstruction of the toll plaza and new construction for a ramp toll plaza. All the toll plaza work comes to $7m and the Wing is probably about a quarter of that – less than $2m it seems. (Beverley Rodrigues MDX 305 637 3277x11)