Construction of the new Main Street Bridge in Corner Brook will begin next month using the "accelerated bridge construction" technique.
In a press release issued Friday, the City of Corner Brook said the first phase of the project will see the new structure partially constructed in a temporary position to the south of the existing bridge.
The work will be carried out by Brook Construction and will start on the east, upstream side of the bridge where the contractor will be driving piles for the temporary abutments and retaining wall.
This phase will be completed while the existing bridge remains open.
The majority of the work will begin in the spring when the contractor starts to construct the bridge in the temporary upstream location. The contractor’s regular work schedule will be 10 hours per day, Monday to Friday.
The current three-lane bridge will be replaced with a four-land structure with sidewalks on either side. It will be in the same location but raised by one metre to accommodate higher stream volume in future floods.
By using the "accelerated bridge construction" technique the length of time the bridge has to be closed is expected to be reduced by more than 50 per cent.
The cost of the bridge replacement is estimated at $4.8 million, minus tax rebates. The provincial government is providing $1,597,767 for the project and the federal government is providing $1,452,515. The city’s contribution is $1.3 million.
