Contract For Simon Fraser Bridge Design Expected Soon

By Michelle Cyr-Whiting

The Simon Fraser bridge spans the Fraser River on the City’s southern approach

The Ministry of Transporation is "very close" to awarding a contract for the design and engineering work of the multi-million dollar Simon Fraser Bridge twinning project.

Ministry Spokesperson, Jeff Knight, says he just checked in on the tendering process this week and says, "nothing has been decided yet, but very soon."

The twinning was initially tendered as a design-and-build project to be delivered under one lump-sum contract, but, back in November, the ministry announced the three bids in the competition came in more than $15-million dollars above the $32.5-million dollar budget.  Rising material costs and the demands of the strong economy were pegged as contributing factors to the high bids.

Knight says the ministry split the design and construction components into seperate tendors to gain better value through more competition. 

He says the ministry hopes to have the bridge design complete and ready for tender by early next summer, with construction expected to start then and finish in the spring of 2009.

An average of 22,000 vehicles use the bridge at the city’s southern approach every day.

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