Winnipeg bridge construction project cost increasing

The price tag for the St. Vital Bridge project is going up.

A report to the Public Works committee is requesting a $6 million contract over expenditure.

That would push the total cost to nearly $49 million.

Two million dollars is needed because the bridge’s pier on the north riverbank has recently moved.

The report says urgent work is required as a soon as the water level on the Red River recedes.

“The results have indicated that with the recent movements, the bridge pier foundation capacity will be exceeded under combinations of permanent and in-service loads.” The report states. “Work is required to ensure the long-term stability of the bridge.”

The report says the other riverbank piers are also being checked as a precautionary measure.

Four million dollars is also needed for steel girder preservation coating, which the report says will add a minimum “50-year life service” to the bridge.

The report says the extra $6 million still falls within the projected budget amounts.

Work on the bridge will continue until August 2025. However, it will not affect the opening of the bridge to full traffic, which is expected in November 2024.