Construction on a major new bridge over the Cataraqui River in Kingston, Ontario is set to start this fall per On-Sitemag. The project team for the $180 million bridge is a consortium made up of Peter Kiewit Sons ULC, Hatch LTD, and Systra International Bridge Technologies. An Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) model will be used which is a successor to the traditional design-build model.
Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson said, "Today is another significant step in moving this project forward. This is the largest infrastructure project our city will undertake for years to come, employing hundreds of people over several years."
Per Wikipeedia, Integrated project delivery is a collaboration alliance of people, systems, business structures and practices into a process that harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to optimize project results, increase value to the owner, reduce waste and maximize efficiency in design, fabrication and construction.
Per On-Sitemag, Kiewit and its partnrs will be in charge of the design and construction of the new 1.2 Kilometre bridge. The bridge will be the third to cross the Cataraqui River in Kingston. The Third Crossing will support continued growth and will connect the eastern and western parts of the city. Funding will come from equal contributions from the municipal, provincial and federal governments. According to the city, this bridge will have the distinction of being the first in North America to use the IPD construction model.
Design and site preparation work is planned to start this fall and crews are expecting to begin construction work next summer.
According to Global News, Kiewit is a North American construction company based out of Nebraska with offices in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The new bridge will connect Gore Road on the east end of the city to John Counter Boulevard in the west. Mayor Paterson stated that of the seven bids for the bridge, Kiewit stood out due to their track record and also because of their commitment to building the bridge for less than the city's budget of $180 million.
"Certainly there was a financial aspect, but it's the credibility and their track record and knowing that a company like Kiewit has worked on bridge projects that are much larger than the Third Crossing. It certainly gives us that confidence that we have a team with the expertise to make sure that everything is going to run smoothly."
Kingston Mayor | Bryan Paterson
Paterson also assured that all levels of funding are secured and the bridge is scheduled to be finished by 2022. Even though there were seven bids, Kiewit beat out two other shortlisted contenders. Canadian companies Graham Construction and Pomerleau. The other four companies were Chandos, Dragados Canada, EllisDon and Astaldi Canada.
Kingston residents in the east end are upset that they may have to move to make way for this bridge. It is not yet known how many homeowners and business owners will be affected by the new bridge, but some families have already been asked by the City to sell their land for the project. Taking the neighboring land is part of the process by Kingston city council. They will need quite a few pieces of land in order to build the bridge and the ramps to access the new crossing. The City and the mayor have assured all the homeowners that they will be dealt with honestly and fairly and will end up with a fair price.
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