The Regional District of Nanaimo is looking for an engineering firm to build the Little Qualicum River Park bridge.
The regional district has posted a request for proposal for experienced and qualified consulting teams to provide the design and costing of a new bridge, which shall be a single-lane, 35-35-40m single span, dual steel girder and cast in place concrete deck bridge that meets the current CSA Bridge Code and BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure standards for low volume roads.
The RDN acquired the Little Qualicum River Regional Park in 1999 as parkland dedication. The bridge that was present at the time was used by Ozero Sand and Gravel through affiliation with Wicklow West Holdings for gravel extraction operations.
In 2014, the bridge sustained damage and was no longer safe. It was eventually closed due to safety issues but because the safety measures that were put in place were repeatedly vandalized, removed or destroyed, the RDN had the old bridge removed in the summer of 2017.
The original plan was to upgrade the bridge but staff determined it would be financially prudent to just replace the bridge due to its age and undetermined structural components.
The proposed new bridge aims to accommodate maintenance/service vehicles and emergency vehicles up to 30,000 kg as well as standard vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians, and ATVs. The intended purpose of the bridge is to connect the two sides of the park.
