According to the Ottawa and the consortium, the structure of the new Champlain bridge will be ready by December 2018

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Matthew Payen

Friday, February 23, 2018 10:52

UPDATE
Friday, February 23, 2018 10:52

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Ottawa and the consortium responsible for the construction of the new Champlain bridge do not budge, the structure will be ready by December 2018.

Bombarded with questions on the occasion of a visit of the construction site for the media Friday morning, Daniel Genest, director of the project to the consortium Signature Saint-Laurent (SSL), is shown to be very optimistic. “The finish line is in sight”, has he hammered, claiming that 65% of the work is completed.

Mr. Genest, announced that the “measures acceleration” – renamed “additional measures” put in place last fall are being renewed this year.

The number of workers on site has increased from 650 to 850, and shifts have been added, especially on the weekend.

These measures have a cost, but neither SSL nor Infrastructure Canada did not want to give a number or say who will pay for them. The issue is the subject of negotiations, it is said.

In the same way, the precise delivery date of the bridge is not defined. “It is between 1 and 21 December, the date of the beginning of the Christmas holiday for the workers, but the date must be negotiated”, said Mr. Genest.

The issue is sensitive, as heavy penalties will be imposed on the consortium in case of delay, is $ 100,000 per day the first week, then $ 400,000 per day, up to a maximum of $ 150 million.

Even if the authorities refuse to talk about a possible delay, the Company bridges (PJCCI), which manages the maintenance of the old Champlain bridge, has already evaluated the opportunity to keep alive the old link between Montreal and the South Shore, as our Bureau of investigation announced Thursday.

According to the boss of PJCCI Glen Carlin, it takes an investment of $ 10 million to extend for six months the life span of the old bridge.

“Our goal is to have a new bridge this year, but we have a prudent management of the situation,” says Chantal Côté, director of works at Infrastructure Canada.