Mountain View County council has directed administration to enter into a contract with Volker Stevin Highways Ltd. to construct a replacement bridge on the Bergen Road just west of Highway 766.
The move came during the Sept. 25 council meeting.
The estimated cost of the bridge, which will be built in 2020, is $1.9 million. It will cross the Dogpound Creek and replace the existing bridge at the site.
“With this job tendered early, the successful contractor will have additional time to obtain permits regarding working in and around the Dogpound Creek and to deter migratory birds from nesting at the site, while operational services will have additional time to communicate detour plans for the temporary road closure of Twp. Rd. 320 (Bergen Road) to the public,” administration said in a briefing note to council.
The current tender price is $1,574,000, the construction engineering cost is $135,000, and the seven per cent contingency is $119,630, for a total cost of $1,828,630.
Meanwhile, council has directed administration to include maintenance recommendations in the 2020-s21 capital program budget for the bridge on the Bergen Road over the Little Red Deer River just west of Highway 22.
An assessment report on the bridge was completed by Dillon Consulting and presented to council.
“Based on the assessment, we recommend a management strategy for the structure that involves rehabilitation work in the near term in order to address observed issues and extend the useful life of the structure,” the company said in the report.
In a briefing note to council, administration said the estimated cost for the repairs noted in the report include $27,000 of engineering to be completed in 2020 and construction costs of $522,000 to be completed in 2021.
“Operational services believes that significant savings could be realized if the bridgework is done in conjunction with the Bergen Road upgrade.”
Reeve Bruce Beattie and coun. Al Kemmere did not attend the Sept. 25 council meeting.
