Now that the Johnson Street Bridge is wrapped up, the City of Victoria is looking to improve the Point Ellice Bridge on Bay Street.
The City opened the project to bidders who might be interested in rehabilitating the existing bridge.
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The work involved in the project includes removing and disposing of existing pavement, deck repair, adding protection to rebar and steel, galvanizing existing structures, installing a new deck membrane, installing new pavement and pavement markings, the removal of lead paint, and the repainting the bridge. The successful bidder must supply its own labour, materials and equipment.
The bridge was built in the 1950’s and had some repairs over the past 70 years, with the most recent seismic upgrades happening in 2002.
Philip Bellefontaine, assistant director, transportation for the City of Victoria said the Bay Street Bridge won’t be as big a project as the Johnson Street Bridge.
“The Johnson Street bridge was a brand new bridge with an innovative design,” he said. “This is not that. It’s really a road project which happens to be going over a bridge…We are acting prudently by looking at maintenance… we need to take a look at rebuilding the structure, which includes inspection and repair.”
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The City is looking for the Bay Street Bridge to be a speedier project, asking for someone who can provide “substantial performance,” so that the work on the bridge completed by Nov. 30, 2019.
During this time Bellefontaine hopes to have minimal road closure, ideally keeping things down to one lane rather than closed altogether.
Final costs for the project will be dependant on the final bidder, but Bellefontaine said based off of early estimates the cost will come close to $5 million, of which the provincial and federal governments will pay $2.4 million.
Bids must be in by Feb. 28, at 4 p.m.
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