Update Given On Future Of 4th Avenue Bridge
The old nursery rhyme goes “London Bridge is Falling Down…” but in the case of Moose Jaw the 21st century version might have a 4th Avenue Bridge line or two in it if something is not done to rehabilitate and additionally strengthen the structure Council was told this past Monday night.
Giving an update regarding progress made on determining the condition of the bridge and potential courses of action city engineer Bevan Harlton said that an inspection found that if nothing is done within 15 years the bridge would require a total replacement.
Harlton said despite the load limits on it the 4th Avenue Bridge is still well used on a daily basis. He said that approximately 13,500 vehicles cross over it on a daily basis which is about 200 vehicles less than the 9th Avenue Bridge.
“The average daily traffic on that bridge is fairly high it is just about 13,500 vehicle movements a day and that is within a couple of hundred of (the) 9th Avenue SW (Bridge),” he said. “It is well used and an important transportation corridor for the city.”
In his update Harlton said the department was hoping to have the preliminary design completed by the end of 2020 and that the public consultation process was now over.
Public Consultations
The public consultations were in two main forms. There was a virtual open house for everyone and then private in-camera meetings with stakeholder groups.
The public consultations included bringing in an outside communications consultant which helped garner 1,465 respondents.
The private consultations with stakeholders were highly productive, Harlton said.
“Why I like that it is because it, from the ones I attended, maybe gave people a chance to say things they normally wouldn’t say in a big group or larger forum. So there is more open dialogue from these smaller group meetings.”
Closed door in-camera meetings were held with CN/CP Rail, MJ Fire, MJ Police, Heritage Advisory Committee, Chamber of Commerce, both School Boards, cycling groups, South Hill Community Association and the Metis Association.
Harlton said the results of the closed door consultations “were consistent across all of the forums.”
Discussion had centered upon whether or not to do the projected work by alternating closing the bridge one side at a time or to close the entire structure off to traffic for the duration of the work. The forum participants chose the latter.
“On the traffic accommodation side the common thread was to close the bridge right off during construction…people were more towards closing it right off which I can certainly agree with. It is much more safer. It is much more efficient. Much more cost effective.”
No length was given as to how long the bridge would be closed. The last time the bridge was closed it had a major negative impact on businesses located on 4th Avenue SW.
About the capacity of the bridge the consultations demonstrated people would like to see the bridge be repaired to allow a higher weight rating.
“People would like to see the load rating increase. They would like to see buses, snow plows and irregular vehicles up there. Heritage is important. It is a beautiful bridge,” he said.
The cycling groups had a major impact in the likely final outcome of the upgraded bridge.
"Active transportation. That is a big word for bicycling or riding your bike. That is something that is important to people. It is under utilized right now and they don’t feel safe on those two 1.5 meter sidewalks on either side. And they are feeling a bit restricted with vehicles moving down the middle,” Harlton said.
Options
Harlton said there were four main options about what to do with the 4th Avenue.
The first option entailed doing nothing.
“It entails running at 10 tonnes or less and no irregular vehicles…and it will need replacement in 15 years and they have put a cost of $35 million on that.”
The second option is a high performance concrete overlay which will not increase the bridge’s load bearing capacity.
“(It entails) grinding off 100 mm of deteriorated concrete on that deck and replacing it with 100 mm of re-enforced concrete.” The cost would be $9 million.
The third option involves the use of four inches of high performance concrete with two inches of asphalt on top.
“The option has a lot of repair and maintenance to the asphalt.”
The fourth and recommended option is to install a six inch layer of high performance concrete with re-bar running through it.
“So now we can increase the load rating for buses and snow plows and whatnot.”
The less maintenance option would use the cement as the traffic surface and include the removal of the sidewalks to allow an increased width of a single sidewalk with protective barriers.
The estimated capital cost for the recommended shared path option is $11,120,000.
Harlton said that once the preliminary plan is completed the expectations are to go into detailed designs based off of the preliminary designs.
Council Reaction
“This is not just something nice that we should think about doing. This is a have to thing,” Councillor Heather Eby said. “This is a project we have to figure out. It is a huge dollar amount. It is a critical piece of infrastructure. This is part of our infrastructure that needs to be looked at.”
“We are going to have to find a way to finance it and get it repaired,” Councillor Eby said.
Councillor Crystal Froese felt upgrading the bridge in weight limits would allow more use of the bridge. At present there is no truck route in the area.
“We don’t have fire trucks going across the bridge but it is a main corridor going across the city. We would have more people cross it if it was brought up to proper standards’” Councillor Froese said.
City manager Jim Puffalt said it was important to have projects like the 4th Avenue Bridge ready to go or “shovel ready” because when “opportunities for federal grants come we can something shovel ready and ready to go.”
Councillor Dawn Luhning said the 4th Avenue Bridge was an important project for the City.
“This is an infrastructure project that needs to be done ASAP,” Councillor Luhning said adding that waiting would only mean the cost would increase.
In response to a question about potential funding from the CPR Harlton said the railroad was aware that the City was looking for assistance from them.
“It’s a conversation we will be having,” he said.
The update was received and filed.