Three Firms In the Final Run to Build Cameron Street Bridge

Wednesday, May 09, 2007 03:52 AM

There are now just three firms in the running for the job to be the consultant who will provide the design and construction services for the rebuilding of the Cameron Street Bridge.

Associated Engineering of Burnaby, Delcan Infrastructure of Burnaby and Klohn Crippen Berger of Vancouver have all been asked to submit a request for proposal. The closing date for those proposals comes next week. and the City is hoping to award a contract later this month or early June.

The design of the bridge is expected to be complete this fall.

The City’s Purchasing Manager, Scott Bone says applications for funding have been sent in to the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund and the General Strategic Priorities Fund. The City also included the costs in the Capital Expenditure plan for construction in 2008 and 2009.

According to Bone, the environmental requirements will be determined during the design and grant process and that could have an impact on the timing of the construction.

A more detailed report on the cost estimates will be presented to Council in the fall, after the bridge design has been completed.

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Posted on Wednesday, May 09, 2007 03:52 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: thereasonableman on May 9 2007 7:55 AM

With capable engineering firms and construction firms in town, I just wonder why we are sending work to Vancouver ?
They already have enough work.

This is a very simple structure, the army's corps of engineers could handle this span, so what gives ?

We are not building a world architectural attraction.

Posted by: diplomat on May 9 2007 10:29 AM

"A more detailed report on the cost estimates will be presented to Council in the fall, after the bridge design has been completed."

It doesn't say in the fall of which year (2007, 2008, 2009,...) - good thing we are not in a hurry at all for this project!

Additionally, it will take a half year (one year?) for the old superstructure to be safely removed (no interference with the salmon) so an eventual completion date (including the new approaches etc) may very well just neatly coincide with the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics!

Well, at least we may have something to celebrate too!

Posted by: metalman on May 9 2007 1:52 PM

Come on guys, don't you remember? All the best experts come from away. You have to go at least 500 miles, oops I mean 800 kms. to find a consultant that knows anything. Thats why we have such excellent designs such as the public library downtown, the existing city r.c.m.p. building, the art gallery, the Hilton on the Hill, parts of UN.BC. They are all designed by experts who live in the south, therefore they know exactly what we need for our climate. Why would they ever want to consult with anyone who lives here?
The foregoing was purely sarcastic, and is not intended to insult anyone intelligent enough to understand the point.
metalman.

Posted by: diplomat on May 9 2007 1:57 PM

Perhaps we need more studies to compare in- town expertise to out-of-town expertise?

By gosh, isn't the above a picture of the bridge to West Quesnel - a *heritage* twin, perhaps?

Same piers, same superstructure...

Posted by: Palopu on May 9 2007 3:40 PM

Its a bloody shame that no Politician or any Citizens in this town with any clout would have taken some action to have this bridge repaired so that we could continue to use it.

The cost would have been a measly $750,000.00 and it would have been a done deal. Instead we issue some contracts to some out of towners, and some local yokals make a few bucks. The Heritage bridge is smashed to **Rat S---* and everyone thinks they have accomplished a great thing.

Its enough to make you want to vomit.

This is just one of many things that take place in this City that ensures that we will forever be considered nothing more than a bunch of hicks in a hick town.

Have a nice day.

Posted by: thereasonableman on May 9 2007 4:16 PM

You don't have to candy coat it....tell me how you really feel !

;-)

I find many capable and very talented people in Prince George, but they are always under-utilized. They are not given the opportunity to develop and excel, show the true nature of their talents, etc.

Prince George has long been a place where talented people go stale. They either get used to it or move on.

We have a University, a Regional Hospital, a Regional Business and Economy Hub, all kinds of opportunities that COULD BE.

How about Northern talent to design a Northern solution ?

Vancouver doesn't give us their work. When was the last time you saw Prince George contractors working on Vancouver's projects, while THEY all sit around without work ?

Come on, you guys !

Posted by: Chadermando on May 9 2007 5:46 PM

Stupid IMO. Support the local economy first.

Posted by: Foo738 on May 9 2007 7:31 PM

Hey Diplomat you say:

"By gosh, isn't the above a picture of the bridge to West Quesnel - a *heritage* twin, perhaps?

Same piers, same superstructure..."

You are right. Zurwoski stated that we have very few heritage structures. He is right, too. They keep destroying our heritage (of which he is a part of the destruction.) Quesnel is smarter - hope they don't go the same route as PG..

Posted by: Foo738 on May 9 2007 8:05 PM

I apologize to readers for not giving the source of my information re Zurwoski - it is in the Free Press (May 9th, 2007) wherein he is quoted as saying "We haven't got a lot of heritage assets in Prince George, so we need to be caeful of them."

He is not being careful of the Old Nechako Bridge heritage. You don't destroy and float away and make heritage part of something else, restaurant or whatever. The bridge is heritage and it should be preserved as a foot and cycling bridge and then it would truly be heritage.

The siting of a new bridge in that area is not the correct place for a crossing. It impacts the neighbourhoods, fisheries and tourist value.

It is just the wrong place. So history will record.

Posted by: thereasonableman on May 10 2007 1:04 PM

The bridge needs to be in close proximity to the John Hart interchange. That doesn't leave you a lot of choices. I agree, that if the bridge is stable enough to be safe for foot traffic and bicycles, then maybe we should look at keeping it, maybe make it part of a trail or park or something.
I don't know if that's feasible though, we have to remember that money is tight. It wasn't too long ago that we weren't sure IF it was going to be replaced, let alone WHEN.