Bridge cost shocks councillors

No, not that bridge, a small one in Dartford

Looking south at the decrepit Dartford bridge.

Members of Trent Hills council suffered sticker shock on Tuesday when asked to approve $420,969.50 plus HST to repair a small, single-lane bridge on Campbell Road, just south of Dartford.

That expenditure to repair the structure and repave the roadway on the little-used bridge was 68 per cent more than the $250,000 that was in the 2025 budget for the project.

Staff admitted they were surprised when the bids came in late last month said Tanya Redden, Manager of Capital Works and Asset Management, in a report to council. “Staff considered the option to cancel the project and defer to a future year where funding could be increased through a capital budget increase.”

But Redden said the fact all three bids were high, the current economic uncertainty, and the poor condition of the bridge led to a recommendation to reallocate planned spending.

To cover the extra cost, council approved a plan to shift to bridge repairs — $100,000 from road resurfacing; $65,000 from sidewalk repairs; and $35,000 from boulevard replacements.

Redden’s report says that all municipal bridges are checked every two years and assigned a rating of good, fair, or poor. In 2022, the Dartford bridge, just 250 metres south of County Road 24, was listed in poor condition.

“In Spring 2024, a small hole appeared on the bridge deck with 25% of the wood deck needing immediate repair,” Redden reported. “During this repair, further deterioration of the stringers was found, leading to the bridge being a priority for 2025 rehabilitation.”

Earlier this year the Dartford bridge was re-evaluated. “According to the report, Dartford Bridge remained among the top two bridges recommended for major rehabilitation, the other being Norham Mill Bridge, which is not open to highway vehicles,” Redden said.

Councillor Rick English said he would vote for the plan, but was unhappy to take money away from other needed projects.

The lowest bid was from Henderson Construction in Port Hope, it was $475,000, including HST. The highest of the three bids, $785,550, was from KB Civil Constructors Inc. of North York.

The load limits will remain after repairs. Closeup of rotting supports.

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Trent River bridge plan moving slowly

Construction won’t start on the new Trent River bridge in Campbellford this year, says Jennifer Moore, chief administrative officer of Northumberland County.

Some utility work may be done but the county is still working on the design and purchasing homes that will be removed to make way for the Second Street bridge.

Moore said design work is 90 per cent done. The final design is supposed to be presented to the public. It was originally promised for early 2024, after the first design was made public in 2023.

Moore said the county is still seeking financial assistance for the project from other levels of government, but has been turned down under two programs.

FYI, I wrote about the slow progress last June.

The cost of the bridge is unknown since the final design hasn’t been completed. But it’s likely county councillors will also face sticker shock when that design is sent out to contractors. The county’s website still says construction will occur 2025-27, “pending final staging and phasing plan.”

In response to a question from Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf, Moore said there is no firm completion date at this point.

As always, note that I have a conflict on this story since I live on Second Street and will have a ring-side view of construction.

Since I am writing about bridges, it’s worth reminding drivers that the County Road 30 bridge over the Trent in Trent River will be closed for 10 to 12 weeks this summer for repairs. I wrote about that plan in January.

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