unimaginative2
Senior Member
$50 million plan to extend Fairway Road over the Grand River poised to begin
August 18, 2010
BY JEFF OUTHIT, RECORD STAFF
WATERLOO REGION — Motorists rejoice — construction could start within days, leading to a long-awaited new bridge over the Grand River.
When it opens in two years, the bridge will extend Fairway Road in east Kitchener to Kossuth Road in north Cambridge. Two roundabouts will anchor the extended road.
This will improve Kitchener connections with Guelph, provide another access to Highway 401 via the Highway 24 interchange, and improve access to east-side lands targeted for future industry and homes.
“We get a lot of calls from people who are eager to see this project go ahead,†project manager John Stephenson said.
The regional government project is $7 million under budget, in a low tender up for council approval Aug. 19. The new price tag for the bridge and road, including money already spent, is $50 million.
This is more than first planned, but less than feared.
The bridge will not have the replica bowstring arches some residents desired as a nod to historic bridges.
However, it will have sculpted piers, which will be kept to the riverbanks, lookouts on the Cambridge side and gateway portals on both sides.
There will be pedestrian lookouts on the bridge, an open exterior railing, cycling paths and sidewalks.
“I think we hit the middle ground in terms of design,†Regional Chair Ken Seiling said. “We’ve created an attractive bridge.â€
Construction may launch Aug. 31. The bridge is expected to open to traffic Oct. 31, 2012.
It’s the first brand-new span over the Grand in this community since 1963. The province is currently twinning its bridge over the Grand at Highway 7/8.
The bridge was delayed in part for consultations with Six Nations leaders. The First Nations near Brantford claim to own the bed and banks of the Grand.
“We believe we’ve done everything necessary along that front,†Seiling said.
Project costs were estimated at just $23 million in 2006. Construction inflation, widening to four lanes, and design elements swelled estimates to $57 million, prior to the low bid.
Budgeted funds not spent on the project will be redirected to other projects.
A regional report says construction firms bid lower than expected because they’re looking for big projects after economic stimulus funding ends in 2011, and because the project is being built on green fields where staging is easy and there’s little traffic to disrupt.
The recommended low bidder is an experienced Toronto firm, Grascan Construction. Local firm Steed and Evans has been subcontracted for road work. Six firms bid on the project.
jouthit@therecord.com
August 18, 2010
BY JEFF OUTHIT, RECORD STAFF
WATERLOO REGION — Motorists rejoice — construction could start within days, leading to a long-awaited new bridge over the Grand River.
When it opens in two years, the bridge will extend Fairway Road in east Kitchener to Kossuth Road in north Cambridge. Two roundabouts will anchor the extended road.
This will improve Kitchener connections with Guelph, provide another access to Highway 401 via the Highway 24 interchange, and improve access to east-side lands targeted for future industry and homes.
“We get a lot of calls from people who are eager to see this project go ahead,†project manager John Stephenson said.
The regional government project is $7 million under budget, in a low tender up for council approval Aug. 19. The new price tag for the bridge and road, including money already spent, is $50 million.
This is more than first planned, but less than feared.
The bridge will not have the replica bowstring arches some residents desired as a nod to historic bridges.
However, it will have sculpted piers, which will be kept to the riverbanks, lookouts on the Cambridge side and gateway portals on both sides.
There will be pedestrian lookouts on the bridge, an open exterior railing, cycling paths and sidewalks.
“I think we hit the middle ground in terms of design,†Regional Chair Ken Seiling said. “We’ve created an attractive bridge.â€
Construction may launch Aug. 31. The bridge is expected to open to traffic Oct. 31, 2012.
It’s the first brand-new span over the Grand in this community since 1963. The province is currently twinning its bridge over the Grand at Highway 7/8.
The bridge was delayed in part for consultations with Six Nations leaders. The First Nations near Brantford claim to own the bed and banks of the Grand.
“We believe we’ve done everything necessary along that front,†Seiling said.
Project costs were estimated at just $23 million in 2006. Construction inflation, widening to four lanes, and design elements swelled estimates to $57 million, prior to the low bid.
Budgeted funds not spent on the project will be redirected to other projects.
A regional report says construction firms bid lower than expected because they’re looking for big projects after economic stimulus funding ends in 2011, and because the project is being built on green fields where staging is easy and there’s little traffic to disrupt.
The recommended low bidder is an experienced Toronto firm, Grascan Construction. Local firm Steed and Evans has been subcontracted for road work. Six firms bid on the project.
jouthit@therecord.com
