Underwater bridge inspection plan could get final approval next week
Members of Prince Albert’s executive committee welcomed a new round of inspections of the Diefenbaker Bridge, which will be funded by the province. Although the plan to inspect the underwater portion of the bridge was ultimately moved forward to council for final approval, some parts of the plan were met with a degree of hesitation.
The province agreed to fund the underwater inspection of the bridge’s piers through the Urban Connector Program – that is expected to take place this fall. The inspections will in part be looking for any damage to the bridge caused by debris swept along the North Saskatchewan River by high water levels earlier this year.
But a report from the city’s department of public works recommended that council accepts a bid from ISL Engineering and Land Services to conduct the inspections. That would be a change in firms from Stantec Consulting, which conducted the last set of inspections on the bridge. Those inspections did not include a look at the portion of the structure that is underwater.
A couple of Stantec’s bridge experts left that firm and are now employed by ISL. And that point had Coun. Don Cody concerned.