A major federal-provincial infrastructure project in the Miramichi region has been hit with another setback this summer. Some work planned for this construction season for the Centennial Bridge refurbishment, which was initially pegged at about $82-million, has already been put on hold until next year.
“Obviously, we want to see some patience as we do some repairs on this bridge,” then-Finance Minister Roger Melanson, a Liberal MLA, asked of people.
But with a project cost increase to approximately $100-million, according to current Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Bill Oliver, patience is getting shorter as the days go on.
“I know Miramichiers that I’ve spoken to are like ‘lets get it done, let’s finish it up so everybody can get on with their lives,'” he tells Global News.
Meanwhile Miramichi Mayor Adam Lordon says they’ve been requesting a meeting with the minister; something that has since been arranged.
Lordon is hoping another setback doesn’t mean increased cost, and thus further delays.
“The risk of delays, like we’ve seen, is that the cost overruns will continue rather than be brought under control,” he says.
When asked about implications coming from the potential for a provincial election, Lordon says the project should be a priority no matter what happens.
Work this summer was supposed to include deck work, among other infrastructure upgrades, but Oliver says the tender bid came back about $8-million higher than expected by government engineers.
“When we get a project that’s that far over budget from what we’ve estimated it to be, it’s not feasible to go forward unless we do some checking,” he says.
Government will review the proposed tender to see where things went wrong this year.
But the safety of the bridge is not a question, Oliver says.
“That was the first thing we addressed was the safety of the bridge,” he says in an interview. “Anybody that would make a suggestion that it wasn’t safe; it would be irresponsible to spread those rumours.”
The asphalt resurfacing will still go ahead this year.
The Centennial Bridge is a major artery connecting the north to the southern part of the province.
Local People’s Alliance MLA Michelle Conroy concede the project is being handled as best as can be, adding that delays are to be expected with a project of this magnitude. She previously voiced concern about government communication issues and safety, but says those have been addressed.
Conroy does however worry about a bottleneck at the smaller ‘new bridge’ during closures, but says “it is what it is.”
The tender for the deck work is expected to be put out early next year, Oliver says, after this fall’s capital budget.
He says government is looking at full bridge closures next construction season and the following, but barring any setbacks, it should be completed in the summer of 2022.
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