DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE
A variety of projects are underway at the Deh Cho Bridge to conclude some unfinished work related to the structure.

Calvin Canadien, an employee with Digaa Enterprises Ltd., threads steel wire rope on the Deh Cho Bridge. The Fort Providence company has the contract to add the new, heightened steel wire rope barriers to the bridge, one of the projects that is currently underway. - photo courtesy of the Department of Transportation

Two major projects date to when the territorial government took over the bridge construction from ATCON. At the time, a complete audit of the project was conducted and some issues were identified, said Kevin McLeod, the Department of Transportation’s director of highways.

One of the issues is whether or not a depression in the footing of the third pier on the south side of the bridge was ever repaired. In 2008 a worker with Ruskin Construction Ltd. alleged there were three areas near the edges of the footing that needed to be repaired, but one wasn't.

The depression, if it exists, is thought to be about 1 metre long, 80 centimetres wide, 20 to 30 centemetres deep and shaped like half a football.

"It has no bearing on the structural capacity of the pier," said McLeod.

The department decided it needed to be certain about whether there is a depression. The Surespan Group from Vancouver will clear the scour rock from the pier and have divers investigate the area. If the depression is found it will be filled underwater with concrete.

"It's a very simple operation," said McLeod.

Surespan has also been contracted to work on the scour rock on each of the eight piers that helps protect them from being scoured by the river over time. Some rock is already in place, but in some areas it is too high or too low, he said.

The rock will be rearranged and more rock, each about half a metre in diametre, will be added. Surespan is working with Rowe's Construction and Northern Transport Company Ltd. (NTCL) to use barges and large backhoes to complete the work.

The investigation of the depression and the scour rock work will cost approximately $4 million. They money will not come from taxpayers, said McLeod. The territorial government has access to $13 million in ATCON security funds guaranteed by the government of New Brunswick.

Community involvement

A local company is completing another project on the bridge. Digaa Enterprises Ltd. of Fort Providence is installing steel wire rope barriers. The barriers will act as additional guardrails and at 1.6 metres, are higher than the existing 1.2 metre guardrails.

The original bridge design had standard guardrails, but some people requested that they be raised. The new barriers should give more confidence to the few pedestrians and cyclists that cross the bridge while not adding any extra weight or wind load to the structure, said McLeod.

Digaa, which has five people working on the project, is expected to be finished the barriers before the end of the month.

The $100,000 cost for the barriers is coming out of the bridge's program and operation and maintenance budgets.

This summer Ruskin is also completing some tasks related to its contract including cleaning up its camp area and concrete batch plant area. The company is also doing some minor work on the bridge including painting.

The department is just ensuring that it receives the perfect bridge the territory paid for, said McLeod. Ruskin's work was already paid for through their contract.

Once all of the work is completed all the Deh Cho Bridge will need is its ongoing normal maintenance, he said.