WATCH: Champlain Bridge rebuild timeline unveiled
MONTREAL — The massive work blitz is on to repair the Champlain Bridge and plans to replace the 63-year-old span are, well, still in the planning stages.
Construction to build a replacement bridge is slated to begin this year with a finish date of 2018. But just how realistic is it to build a federal bridge – costing between $3 and $5 billion — in three years?
South of the border, work crews have been building a new bridge to replace the aging Tappan Zee over the Hudson River. But, unlike in Montreal, work there began two years ago and authorities have set 2018 as the finish date.
The new New York Bridge is similar in size and scope to the one replacing the Champlain. New York’s new bridge is estimated to cost $3.9 billion.
Pay tolls will likely be added to the Champlain. The same is planned for the new New York Bridge. The bridge over the St. Lawrence River will have reserved lanes for public transit. The same goes for the one over the Hudson River.
Both bridges were formally announced in 2011. But in New York they started work in 2013.
“I don’t have all the details on the one in New York, but there could be a lot of reason,” said Steve Tselios, chief engineer for the Champlain Bridge.
“Could be environmental issues, permits, expropriation – could be lots of issues that could be making the differences.”
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