Southwest Contracting chose to modify the standard shoring method commonly used in Vancouver to install over 1200 rock and soil anchors and shotcrete for the permanent retaining wall system. Rather than excavate and shore in 6’ vertical lifts, SWC chose to first excavate the 25’ slopes and install the anchors and shotcrete in full vertical panels.

This required the fabrication of high reach drilling rigs and manlifts to drill and install the anchors, reinforcing and shotcrete. It saved considerable time as the road access for excavation and shoring was limited by the railroad below and the steepness of the slope itself that would not allow trucks and drilling equipment to pass one another if conventional shoring techniques were used.