By Thia James

Province to fully fund repair of Hwy 55 bridge

Sep 16, 2014 | 6:33 AM

Repairs to the Highway 55 bridge near Little Red River Park may soon be a go if Prince Albert’s city council approves an agreement between the City and the provincial ministry of highways and infrastructure.

The province has agreed to fund the full cost of repairs to the bridge, which sustained significant damage from debris swept into it last June and July. During that time, high water flows in the Little Red River slammed into the bridge’s piles. Since then, other pre-existing structural problems were uncovered through assessments of the bridge.

Much of the repairs would be made to the bridge’s piles, and according to a report filed by transportation project manager Mohammad Kraishan, highways ministry staff forsee the repairs taking a week to complete. That projection was based on the experience of highways staff who have worked on bridges similar to the one on Highway 55.

Mayor Greg Dionne said that once they sign the agreement the work will go to the tendering process, and then repairs will start right away.

As for how urgent some of these repairs are, he said “it’s been sitting there for a while; we have that one lane partially blocked off. So, to me, the sooner you get it open, the better.”

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Thus far, the province has set aside $150,000 for the project, which it will fund through the Urban Highway Connector Program. The total cost of the repairs is still unknown.

“If the project comes in less than that, we’ll be funded for the exact amount,” acting director of public works Wes Hicks explained during Monday’s executive committee meeting. “If it comes in more than that, they will pay for that exact amount. But to get the agreement signed, they set a budget of $150,000.”

City administration filed an application to the Urban Highway Connector Program for funding for the repair project, and in February, the ministry let the City know it approved the application.

The program’s purpose is really to maintain the highway “connectors” between urban centres – cities and towns – in Saskatchewan. Highway 55 is known as the “Highway 55 Connector” and the bridge is recognized in Kraishan’s report as an important point of connection between Prince Albert and the eastern part of the province.

Hicks estimated that the province funds the program to the tune of $8.9 million, but added that Prince Albert is fighting with all other cities in Saskatchewan for that funding. The City was expected to submit further applications for funding from the program sometime on Monday.

The high water flow under bridge was the result of the release of water from a dam near Anglin Lake, aimed at relieving pressure on the lake after heavy rainfalls. The rushing water also caused damage to Little Red River Park’s banks and pedestrian bridges.

The City is also looking to shore up the banks of the Little Red River in the park to prevent further erosion. Council approved funding for a study that would help it come up with a plan to stabilize the riverbank. 

The executive committee recommended the approval of the repair agreement, with council expected to approve it at next Monday’s meeting.

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames