SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - An internal audit of the Deh Cho Bridge being built over the Mackenzie River shows 16 deficiencies worth more than $1 million, but it's the contractor on the hook, not the government.

Of the 16 problems identified in the report by Levelton Consultants, four were noted as a priority, said Kevin McLeod, project lead on the Deh Cho Bridge and director of highways and marine services with the Department of Transportation.

One issue is there is no proof a hole in one of the piers was fixed, he said at a press conference Dec. 16.

"At the end of the day, no one can absolutely come to me and say, 'I swear on a Bible that this has all been done and you can be assured it is done.' So we just need to check and, you know, if it's a matter of moving a little bit of rock and checking, then let's do that."

The process will include pumping out the pier, sending a camera down and checking to see if it is fixed or not.

The investigation and repair of the pier could cost up to $1.5 million, but it is the responsibility of ATCON Construction, which was working on the project until late last year, not the government, he said.

"The project budget remains a $182-million project, with all costs included," he said. "There are some things to go back and repair and those are all covered under hold back or security payments."

ATCON is in receivership, but McLeod said the government already held back money from the contractor for this kind of situation.

Another deficiency identified by the audit is the need for an engineer review to ensure continuity of design. McLeod said because the project has had three different engineers, it's important to ensure there are no gaps in the work.

"It's just to make sure that the end product is what we want," he said. "This is a matter of reviewing each of those engineer's works and making sure we are clear."

The third issue is the scour rock, which breaks up the current and protects the piers from the impact of the river.

McLeod said there is enough rock, but it needs to be levelled out - a project that will require a barge and a long-armed backhoe to move the rock around.

The audit also identifies the need for fabrication testing, including the testing of welds. The tests are non-destructive, McLeod said, and will be done in situ.

That process is beginning now.

David Ramsay, Kam Lake MLA, said the government has known about a lot of these issues since last year, yet it spent nine months doing the audit.

"It's something they've known exists," he said. "They should have been on this a long time ago, I would say."

Of the other 12 deficiencies, 10 have been addressed, said McLeod. And the remaining work is set to be done next year.

McLeod said it's a bit early to say what the total cost of the repairs and tests will be.

"There's a range of numbers," he said. "I know that if we compare those numbers to what we have (in) available funds, that we have enough."

There is about a three-week delay in the project, but the current contractor is working on mitigation plans to deal with that. McLeod said as far as he is concerned, the project is on schedule for November 2011.

Ramsay said he's finds it doubtful the project will be completed on time.

"I don't see how they could possibly fix these things and construct that bridge in that time frame. We're talking now 11 months. It just doesn't seem possible," he said.

A full copy of the audit will be available to the public in January once officials have sorted out some legal issues.

The current contractor is Ruskin Construction. It will be responsible for any issues that may arise in the future.

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