18 December 2010

Council to Look at Future of
CPR Rail Bridge

Belleville Ontario - Rebuild or rehabilitate?
 
That's the question city council hopes to have answered after it awarded a tender for consulting services to G.D. Jewell Engineering Incorporated. The company will complete a preliminary design of the Bay Bridge Road overpass of the CPR rail. The overpass, originally constructed in 1969 and rehabilitated 15 years later, was identified as a priority for rehabilitation in the city's inventory and inspection report conducted last year.
 
In his written report to council, engineering manager Ray Ford said the overpass serves as an important link to Highway 62 and Zwicks Park, but pedestrian access to the park and its trails are restricted by the railway. The tender awarded to G.D. Jewell "includes the review of options to provide pedestrian and cycling facilities to provide a connection across the CPR that would also be compatible with the rehabilitation of the bridge."
 
The firm is expected to develop and review alternatives taking into consideration traffic, intersection improvements at Bay Bridge Road and Dundas Street West, and cycling and pedestrian requirements. Ford told city council the bridge needs to be able to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists trying to get to Zwicks. Currently, there are no sidewalks from Dundas Street West to Zwicks.
 
Though Jewell's bid was in the middle of the pack for the three tenders received, Ford told council the firm has "put a lot of thought into the project" already and provided some preliminary ideas with its tender. Jewell's tender, including HST, was $5,000 more than the lowest tender with a total of $110,032.62.
 
The firm, Ford added in his report, "have demonstrated that they are fully capable and competent to complete this project and have offered the best services and value in comparison to the other submitted proposals."
 
Coun. Jack Miller, after looking through the report and hearing Ford explain what is involved, asked if it would be feasible to have the bridge replaced.
 
"That's all part of this assignment," Ford said. "It's critical to look at that structure and determine how much life is left in it."
 
W. Brice McVicar.