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Transportation and Works
February 28, 2012

Placentia Lift Bridge to Receive Immediate Repairs

As part of an immediate response to the results of a recent structural evaluation of the Sir Ambrose Shea Bridge in Placentia, the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Transportation and Works, today announced the bridge will undergo approximately $1 million in immediate repairs to restore its load capacity.

“The Provincial Government was very disappointed when efforts to replace the bridge last summer were unsuccessful due to a lack of competitive tender offers,” said Minister Hedderson. “We committed to evaluating, monitoring, and repairing the bridge on an ongoing basis, and the repairs we intend to carry out are expected to extend the service life of the bridge while we proceed with a longer-term solution.”

The bridge’s lift mechanism is fully functional, and the bridge is safe for public use provided the load restriction is observed. Design work for the required repairs will begin immediately, and repairs are expected to take three to four months to complete. During that time, the Provincial Government will restrict access to the bridge by commercial vehicles in excess of 13,000 kilograms. Flag persons will be deployed to the area to ensure safe traffic flow and accommodate school buses during peak periods.

“When the original tender did not produce acceptable bids, the Department of Transportation and Works began examining alternatives,” said Minister Hedderson. “We concluded our best option was to redevelop the bridge design that was included in the tender to encourage new and more competitive bids. We intend to re-issue the tender in the very near future, and I look forward to seeing more competitive submissions from heavy civil companies.”

An engineering analysis was conducted on the original design that was included in the tender last year, and this analysis will inform the development of the new bridge design that will be used when the tender is re-issued.

“The Provincial Government understands the importance of the lift bridge to daily life in Placentia and surrounding areas, and is committed to providing transportation infrastructure that meets the needs of residents,” said Honourable Felix Collins, Minister of Justice and MHA for Placentia-St. Mary’s. “I look forward to seeing the bridge restored to its original capacity and to positive results from the replacement tender.”

Both Minister Hedderson and Minister Collins will be available to the media today at 1:30 p.m. in front of the House of Assembly. The ministers will also attend a meeting of the Placentia Town Council, to be held tonight at 7:00 p.m.

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Media contacts:

Jason Card
Director of Communications
Department of Transportation and Works
709-729-3015, 699-0470
jasoncard@gov.nl.ca
Margaret Craniford
Constituency Assistant to the
Honourable Felix Collins
MHA for Placentia-St. Mary’s
709-729-6926
margcraniford@gov.nl.ca

2012 02 28                            11:45 a.m.

 
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