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After four years of construction, the Deh Cho Bridge is scheduled to be open to traffic Nov. 30. The $202-million project is expected to recoup $3.85 million annually in toll fees. - NNSL file photo

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The four-year saga of the Deh Cho Bridge over the Mackenzie River is expected to reach its conclusion by the end of this month.

"Nov. 30 is when it will open. There will be a ceremony with a vehicle taking special guests across (for the first crossing). I can't tell you who, you'll have to come and see for yourself," said a smiling Earl Blacklock, manager of public affairs and communications for the Department of Transportation.

Bridge facts Total length: 1,045 metres Road (deck) width: 10.4 metres Deck height above river: 30.55 metres Pylon tower peak height: 53.85 metres Widest span between piers: 190 metres Tonnes of steel: 11,636 Total length of 24 cables: 1,434 metres Total weight of structure: 49,923 tonnes Maximum traffic load: 2,000 tonnes (48 Super B-tankers) Canadian manufacturing content: 98 per cent Source: Department of Transportation

The 190-metre-wide, 53-metre-high bridge is suspended by cables set on two A frame pylons and spans 1,045 metres.

Construction of the bridge began in 2008 and during the four years of construction the initial budget of $55 million ballooned to $202 million.

"The difficulties we experienced with the Deh Cho Bridge comes down to a principle factor. In bridge construction, a large part of construction must take place during the warm weather season and our warm weather season is short so the delay pushed everything back," said Blacklock, referring to unseasonal weather conditions during construction.

In order to pay for the rise in costs, the government will impose toll charges of $91.25 to $275 per commercial vehicle, depending on the number of axles. Personal passenger cars will not be charged a toll.

"Someone has to pay for it. I don't entirely agree with it but 100 per cent will go back to the consumer," said Blair Weatherby, president of the NWT Transportation Association, regarding toll and administration costs associated with shipping freight. Weatherby said the cost to consumers will be "minute," resulting in a "couple of pennies" tacked on to consumer goods.

"To the consumer, there is a cost associated with not having a bridge and then having a bridge," said Blacklock.

"We won't have six weeks in spring when (the ferry and ice bridge) are out of service and you'll likely pay extra to have the goods brought in .... The tolls were established to recover at a level lower than the average cost to shippers from delays by the ferry and ice road."

Penalties for commercial vehicles failing to pay the toll can range from $1,725 to $2,875. Based on traffic numbers from the Merv Hardie ferry, the department estimates 75,485 vehicles will pass over the bridge, 24,888 of which will be commercial. It's estimated that $3.85 million will be collected every year in toll revenue.

Once the bridge opens, the ferry and the ice road will no longer be utilized, Blacklock said.

"The ferry will be moved to a new location wherever the assessment determines it's needed. For the winter it will be in Fort Providence but it won't be in use," he said.

Once complete, the bridge is expected to have a life span of at least 75 years or longer with regular maintenance.

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