Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Fort Providence (Sep 19/05) - The company behind the proposed bridge over the Mackenzie River at Fort Providence will decide next month on a general contractor for the $60-million project.

Dehcho Bridge Corporation chief operating officer Michael Nadli said the tender process was in the "final stretch."

Construction on the 1.1-kilometre span could start in January, he added.

"Things look positive," Nadli said Monday. "Hopefully we can begin some of the preliminary work relatively soon."

The corporation had planned to start hauling gravel to the bridge site outside of Fort Providence this month. But Nadli announced in June the timetable had been pushed back after engineers "re-evaluated" their construction forecast. The ribbon-cutting will also delayed for about one year - until the fall of 2008.

"We did not want to compromise the quality of the work," Nadli said.

The corporation will not have a final price tag on the bridge until the contract is awarded later this fall.

While the world prices for steel and oil have risen steadily since the bridge proposal got the go-ahead, they have been offset by falling interest rates, said project manager Andrew Gamble.

A revised estimate from six months ago pegged the cost at $60-65 million - in line with the original figures.

"We are pretty confident our estimate reflects the market conditions," Gamble said.

The corporation hopes gravel hauling will start in January once the ice bridge over the Mackenzie River opens.

The plan is to build four gigantic supporting piers in the summer of 2006 and four more in 2007, with an eye towards opening the bridge in 2008 - just before the ferry season ends. The so-called Mackenzie River Bridge would provide a permanent road-link between southern Canada and Yellowknife - nearly 30 years after it was first seriously discussed.

The span is expected to generate $3-4 million in yearly revenues for the bridge corporation, which is owned by the Fort Providence Dene and Metis. That translates into about $750,000 in annual profit, said Gable.