Bridge project to start in April

The tender for the "in-water" portion of the Seaway bridge replacement project has been awarded to American Bridge Canada Company. The contractor is expected to be on site in April.

PHOTO CREDIT - Robert Lefebvre/www.icelevel.com

Cornwall - Jan. 29, 2011 - After years of planning, physical work on the new bridge crossing between Cornwall and Cornwall Island is set to begin in April.

American Bridge Canada Company has been selected as the contractor for the "in-water" portion of the project through a public tender that was posted online last Fall, the Federal Bridge Corporation Ltd. (FBCL) recently announced.

The "in-water" work is the first phase in the long-awaited replacement of the north span of the Seaway International Bridge in Cornwall. The work includes the construction of three new bridge piers in the north channel of the St. Lawrence River, the FBCL stated.

"We are extremely pleased to get started with this project that has been in preparation for so many years. This bridge will remain an important link between Canada and the U.S., and will link Massena, N.Y., the Akwesasne Reserve and Cornwall, Ontario," said FBCL President and CEO Micheline Dube.

The tender for the "in-water" work closed on November 23, and five bids were received. The lowest bid of $8,415,440 (plus HST) was submitted by American Bridge. According to the FBCL, the contractor is expected to mobilize on site in April, with the marine work expected to start in early May.

The $75-million project will consist of four contracts in total and will extend from the Brookdale Avenue traffic circle in Cornwall to the Seaway bridge administrative buildings on Cornwall Island. After the "in-water" portion of the project is completed, the next steps will include construction of the new bridge and approaches, demolition of the existing high-level crossing and finally, the realignment of Brookdale Avenue and Water Street - where the new bridge will connect.

The entire project is expected to be completed by 2016.