City Approves Repair Of 7th Avenue SW Bridge
After years of discussions that erupted into an open controversy spilling into the Council chamber in 2020 funds have been approved to repair the 7th Avenue SW Bridge.
An unbudgeted capital expenditure which will cost City coffers approximately $850,000 and see the bridge retain two way traffic and a pedestrian sidewalk for the next 10 years minimum. The repaired structure will additionally have its weight limit increase to 10 tonnes.
Council voted to award the repair contract to Harbuilt Construction Ltd. for $739,937 plus an additional consulting fee to Associated Engineering for $92,265 plus taxes.
The total cost for the project before taxes is $832,202 - before taxes. The money will come from the land development fund in the general capital fund.
The expected date of repairs completion is June 30th.
A look at the under side of the 7th Avenue SW Bridge - MJ Independent
The 7th Avenue SW Bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic since it was damaged by an ice event in the Spring of 2015.
Later after an inspection in December 2020 the bridge was closed to pedestrian traffic as well.
Council was presented with two proposals to repair the bridge.
The first, and most expensive, was to install steel piles and caps. This would allow the retention of the pedestrian sidewalk, both traffic lanes and an upgrade to a capacity of 10 tons. This option would also make the resultant structure more resistant to future ice events. This option would cost $832,202 plus applicable taxes.
The bridge fixed by this option would have sufficient capacity to allow ambulances and school buses to use the bridge. Fire trucks (other than the small pickup style truck) would not be able to use the bridge.
“There is some added security there from ice events,” engineer Jason Chiasson from consulting firm Associated Engineering told Council.
The second proposal would see a partial demolition by removing the eastern side of the bridge. The demolition would remove the sidewalk and eastern driving lane turning the structure allowing for a single traffic lane.
The cost for this option would be $465,900 plus consulting fees of approximately $100,00 plus any applicable taxes.
Despite option one having an increased cost of $274,037 the more expensive option was recommended and ultimately approved by Council as cost value wise it would save the City over $300,000 during repaired bridge’s estimated 10 year minimum life until it required replacement.
Chiasson said the bridge could actually be safe to use longer than 10 years it was expected to last with the more expensive repair. It all depended on what subsequent inspections revealed.
Neither option would allow a fire truck access but it has always been that way Fire Chief Rod Montgomery told Council.
“Even when the bridge was operational we never used that bridge,” Chief Montgomery said.
Speaking on behalf of his clients, the Avery and Thorn families, lawyer David Chow said “my clients certainly support the two-way traffic option.”
Chow did have some questions though about some of the language in the report which called the repairs “temporary” and “short term” and the pending major residential property development on the former Valley View Centre property.
The proposed residential development requires a zoning change and sees a new residential neighbourhood on the former Valley View Centre property. Part of the deal includes the Wakamow Valley Authority being the recipient of a small parcel of river valley and river bank land from Carpere Valley Development Corp that the Province (the former owners) allowed Wakmow to use and maintain.
City manager Jim Puffalt would only address the issues affecting the Thorn and Avery families.
“That’s certainly an issue the planning and development department can get back to you on,” Puffalt said about Carpere’s plans, adding “the land for Wakamow is a completely different issue at this time.”
Councillor Heather Eby said although the language of the proposal stated temporary it was speaking about the present repaired structure and that it did “not negate that a new bridge will be built some day.”
Councillot Dawn Luhning said the report should have also included a third option and that being there is already an access the City has the right to use - a road allowance - but Carpere was for some reason denying the use of that access. The road allowance leads onto the former Valley View property but the Province when they built the Centre built a main building on that road allowance.
Carpere does not want to demolish the building but has plans for its use and building an access road around the building - something Carpere will not allow - would cost approximately $75,000 on Carpere property.
A close up of one of the bridge supports that was damaged by an ice event - MJ Independent photo
Councillor Jamey Logan said he supported the more expensive recommendation to install new steel piles and steel caps.
“It is a lot of money as we know but quite honestly it is overdue,” Councillor Logan said.
He said that by proceeding with the more expensive repair it showed Carpere the City was prepared to work with Carpere “somewhat.”
At a previous Council meeting the topic of Carpere, the landowner, helping to pay for the new bridge was a necessity as the bridge allowed the firm to develop their property and they were also a major beneficiary if the bridge was operational.
In a unanimous 7 - 0 vote Council decided to fix the bridge using the more expensive option.
POST MEETING
Following the meeting Mayor Fraser Tolmie told the media he was happy to see the issue now decided.
“I am glad we are moving on and I am obviously looking forward to the construction phase of this. I know we have got a target date of June 30th which would be nice and quite honestly to be ready for the new school year for the residents of there. So I think that is a good target date and it gives us to allow for continencies if any issues should come up,” Mayor Tolmie stated.
Mayor Tolmie said the projected 10 year life span of the repairs would allow the City to add it to the long term plans and put funds away for a new bridge.
What type of new bridge that would be constructed in the future would rely upon what was finally developed on the former Valley View Centre property.
“It opens up conversations and it opens up opportunities.”