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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The construction crew working on the oft-controversial Deh Cho Bridge is about six weeks behind schedule, according to Andrew Gamble, head of the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation.

Rowe's Construction and Ruskin Construction are working to complete the piers for the Deh Cho Bridge's south side. The project so far is six weeks behind schedule. - photo courtesy of Andrew Gamble

A six week delay may look like nothing, however, if the construction company doesn't complete their scheduled work before it gets too cold to pour cement there's a chance it will have to pull the temporary work bridge out and rebuild it again next year, said Gamble.

"If they don't get these piers finished, then it's a much bigger cost. Having to remobilize to get back next year would be a much more significant cost for (the contracting company)," said Gamble.

When plans to build the bridge were unveiled last year by former premier Joe Handley last year, the cost of its completion was calculated at $160 million. The territorial government entered into a public-private agreement with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation to build the bridge, which means the territorial government is on the hook if the project were to fall apart.

Gamble said ultimately the contracting company responsible for the construction of the bridge is Atcon Construction. It, however, hired B.C.-based Ruskin Construction to build the temporary work bridge. In turn, Northern-owned Rowe's Construction is responsible for the concrete mix used for the piers. Extra costs would be borne by whichever company is at fault, said Gamble.

Currently, the work bridge is stationed on the south side of the Mackenzie River. Gamble said is often mistaken for the real bridge.

The work bridge will have to be dismantled before next year's spring break up so it isn't crushed by moving ice. The intention - and hope - is not to have to rebuild it. Gamble said he couldn't provide an actual cost amount if that were to occur but he did say it would "cost a lot of money."

"The critical thing for us is that we get this year's work done this year," said Gamble.

"We were hoping to have the four piers finished by October. It looks like it may be November, even early December (before they're finished)," he added.

Part of the delay is due to a slow start building the temporary bridge on the Mackenzie River, which the crew uses to work on the pier structures for the actual bridge.

The crew had planned to start building the work bridge at the beginning of June, but "by the time we got mobilized and got all our materials here and ourselves organized it was more like the end of June," said Gamble.

The work was delayed again while Northern-owned construction company Rowe's Construction was trying to get the concrete right for the piers.

"They hadn't included - there's a retarder (a slowing agent) that has to go into (the concrete) - and they did test batches without putting the retarder in so the results couldn't be used," said Gamble.

The company added the retarder soon after for another test batch but it takes a week to get the result back - adding yet more extra time to the work schedule, according to Gamble.

And, every cement load gets tested, added Gamble, to make sure "it's set up right and it's good" before pouring.

Next year, if the company catches back up to schedule, Ruskin plans to put another work bridge on the north side of the river so that it can complete the piers on that side, said Gamble.

Currently, extra costs are arising out of having people on site longer and, if Rowe's has to work into the colder months, special measures that will allow them to work in frigid temperatures - like heating the concrete and putting up heated canvas shelters for the concrete, will have to be put in place.

"That costs money for the contractor, it doesn't cost us anything," said Gamble.

"It's more difficult pouring concrete in cold weather than warm weather. It's as simple as that."

Yellowknifer was told by Rowe's Construction's head office in Hay River that company representatives would not be able to comment by press time. Corey Ross of Ruskin Construction declined to comment.