It was going to happen this year if possible ñ but it wasn't possible.Mountain View County council decided last week to put the reconstruction of Big Prairie Bridge on hold and re-tender the project for an Oct. 30, 2012 completion date.The reason for the delay was cost. Estimated at $1.7 million, the project received only two bids and the lowest, from Carmacks Enterprises Ltd., came in at almost $2.8 million ñ or $1.1 million higher than the estimate.A second bid, from Gabriel Construction (Alberta Ltd.), came in at just over $3 million.In his report to council, CIMA consulting engineer Randy Shalagan recommended re-tendering because of the low number of bids and the cost variance between the estimate and bids that ìdoes not appear to make much sense.îDuring the tender process, he said, contractors complained that the schedule was too short and there was difficulty getting the corrosion-resistant steel within the time frame.ìThe tender schedule was driven by the need to obtain the required permits from the various federal agencies,î Shalagan wrote. ìDespite the best efforts of all involved the required permits were not obtained until June 28. This resulted in the tender being opened July 5 with substantial completion to be done by Nov. 30.ìThe tight construction window, the difficulty obtaining key materials (corrosion resistant reinforcing steel, only one supplier) combined with the recent rainfall events most likely resulted in prices being higher than estimated.îAppearing before council Wednesday, support technician Ken Bellamy said the timeline drove up costs.The bridge design ìhas a special long girder that's very expensive to makeî and is usually ordered from a supplier in Calgary, Bellamy said. To make the November construction deadline, however, the girder would have to be ordered from Edmonton and ìthat's a $200,000 difference,î he said.Though it's unfortunate for the community, Div. 4 Coun. Bruce Beattie said, ìit would be irresponsible of us to continue at these kinds of prices. It's not reasonable Ö I don't know what other option it gives us other than to re-tender for next year.îThe delay also gives council the opportunity to reconsider a two-lane bridge instead of the single-lane design, ìto make the best use of the hundred-year structure,î Beattie added.Council voted not to accept the tenders and to re-examine design options at the Sept. 14 policies and priorities committee meeting. A followup motion was also passed, directing the CAO to set up a meeting with the Big Prairie community as soon as possible to explain the county's predicament.The one-year delay will create ìa lot of disappointmentî in the community for the hundreds of people who used the crossing prior to October 2009, when it was destroyed in a still-unsolved arson, said Dave Street, a volunteer who worked with council to get the bridge rebuilt.ìEveryone's expecting a bridge,î Street said.And some people, Street said, will now start to wonder if the structure will ever be replaced.ìIn some people's minds this could be the hammer ñ they're not going to build it because it costs so much. That's the first thing that comes to your mind. Delay for a year? Or maybe this is the cross we have to bear.îWhile the decision is ìdisturbing to say the least,î Street said the reason behind it is ìfairly clear. The bid is beyond the budget.îThe province has agreed to pay half of the project's estimated cost, or about $800,000.
