Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about an important project I have spoken about many times before in this House and I’m referring to the Deh Cho Bridge.
I want to assure all Members that my interests in this project remain the same as they’ve always been, to ensure that the Deh Cho Bridge Project is delivered safely in an efficient and effective manner. The Department of Transportation’s overarching commitment is to build the bridge to the highest standards of safety and quality. We have a team of highly motivated professionals overseeing every aspect of construction. I have every confidence in their ability to manage the project and mitigate the risks.
Construction has reached a key milestone with the installation of the first two towers. These towers hold up the cables that will support the centre span of the bridge. The truss is 90 percent launched with only two sections to go. Earthworks and abutment construction on the north side are nearly completed. In the next couple of months we will witness the stringing of the cables on the first tower, the joining of the truss and the installation of the second tower and cables.
The installation of the deck panels will follow. These are major accomplishments that will set the stage for the final work next summer, which will include the grouting and the paving of the deck, installation of electrical and utilities work, and completion of the earthworks and abutments. I encourage everyone to visit the Deh Cho Bridge website to track the progress of the final phases of construction.
I am committed to keeping Members and the public fully apprised of all aspects of this project. The two issues that are of the greatest interest are the schedule and the budget. With regard to the schedule, we are anticipating that the bridge will be open to traffic in the fall of 2012. The contractor is responsible for the progress of work and they have the contractual obligation to complete the work as specified. Risks to the schedule include the late delivery of key components; new work such as the installation of the towers and cables, which could take longer than foreseen; and severe weather conditions, which could slow the overall pace of work.
The current construction budget stands at just over $182 million, but it is now estimated that we will now require additional funding to complete construction. The added costs are required for contract change orders arising from improvements to the design. These will enhance the quality of work and long-term performance of this bridge. There are also additional project management and engineering costs arising from the extension of construction to the fall of 2012, and we will also need to maintain a suitable construction contingency fund to deal with unknowns on the remaining construction activities.
I’d like to assure the Members and the public that this additional funding is a valid requirement for completion of this project, that the project is moving forward in the most efficient manner possible and that every effort to mitigate further financial risk is being taken.
At this time I also want to reiterate the commitment of the previous government, which was to undertake a retrospective analysis of the project after it’s completed. The analysis will include total project costs as well as lessons learned. This will assist the Government of the Northwest Territories with future large infrastructure projects.
The GNWT is currently developing regulations respecting the collection of tolls from commercial vehicles crossing the bridge. The regulations will establish, among other things, the toll rates. The department has designed a toll collection system that is seamless for the trucking industry. It is fully integrated with our existing commercial vehicle permitting process and linked to our financial administration system. There will be no toll booth. There will be no need for trucks to stop prior to crossing the bridge. Tracking of vehicles will be done electronically.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, Mr. Miltenberger.
