Fort Simpson (Jun 16/06) - In the first operation of its size in the Northwest Territories, the Department of Transportation plans to build a new bridge at Martin River and move the existing bridge to a new location.

The existing structure is the first bridge on Hwy 1 between Fort Simpson and Wrigley.

The bridge is between 15-20 years old which is the common time for service in the lifespan of the structure, Peter Praetzel, a project officer with the Department of Transportation, said.

Concerns about public safety and the possibility of increased traffic because of the pipeline led to the decision to replace the bridge, Praetzel said during an information session in Fort Simpson.

Over the past few years there have been a number of accidents at the bridge, including one where a truck with two passengers crashed into the river.

The new bridge will be built 20 to 30 metres downstream from the existing structure. This will allow for a gentler curve in the road leading up to the bridge, Praetzel said. Currently, the posted speed for the corner is 20 km/h. The new bridge will be capable of carrying heavier loads to deal with the expected pipeline traffic. The bridge will also be longer and wider than the existing structure. The bridge will still be one lane, but will be 1.4-metres wider.

The plan for construction includes removing the old bridge to recondition it and reuse it somewhere else in the transportation system. The bridge has an expected lifespan of 70 years, Praetzel said.

Although portable bridges have been moved on the Mackenzie winter road between Wrigley and Colville Lake for years, this will be the first time a bridge this large will be recycled in the Northwest Territories, he said.

The bridge will be dragged off its abutments, knocked in two and moved.

The contract for the bridge will be put out to public tender. There has already been quite a bit of interest from local and northern contractors, Praetzel said. The cost of the project will not be available until the contract is awarded. Praetzel hopes to see construction start in August and be finished in three months.

During construction, traffic flow on the road will continue as normal, Praetzel said. Slight delays are expected when the new bridge is linked to the road. "It should be a fairly seamless transition from one structure to another," he said.

In terms of environmental concerns, building the bridge is a low- risk activity, Rhonda Batchelor, an environmental project coordinator with the Department of Transportation, said.

Silt fencing will be used to make sure disturbed earth doesn't run into the stream. Machinery will be kept clean and out of the water.

There will be a short- term disturbance to animals because of construction noise, Batchelor said.

"There is no way to get around it," she said.