Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Government of Canada has awarded a $24.6 million contract to Construction Demathieu & Bard (CDB) INC for widening of the Hull Causeway and the Union Bridge rehabilitation on the Chaudière Crossing in Ottawa.
Both projects are part of a plan to improve interprovincial transportation in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The widening of the Hull Causeway will provide dedicated continuous raised cyclist lanes and a wider sidewalk across the entire Chaudière Crossing as part of a complete street concept that will be in harmony with the Zibi development project and the remainder of the crossing.
The raised cyclist lanes and the integration of a new lighting system will improve cyclist safety.
The Union Bridge is a single-span steel truss with an exposed concrete deck and has been in service for more than 100 years.
While the bridge has undergone rehabilitation a number of times, several steel and concrete components are at the end of their useful lives and therefore require repair or replacement.
“The Union Bridge rehabilitation and the Hull Causeway widening on the Chaudière Crossing will provide long-lasting economic benefits to the communities on each side of the Ottawa River and more broadly to the region,” said Steven MacKinnon, parliamentary secretary to the minister of public services and procurement.
“The Government of Canada is committed to continuing to improve crossings in the National Capital Region. We are ensuring that all our existing bridges are well maintained and support the efficient movement of people and goods in the region.”
Construction will take place from July 2021 to September 2022.
The Chaudière Crossing is the oldest crossing in the NCR. It was first opened to the public in the 1820s and unites the communities of Gatineau, Quebec, and Ottawa, Ontario. This crossing links Eddy Street, in Hull, to Booth Street, in Ottawa.
To meet the Government of Canada’s objectives of encouraging Indigenous socio-economic development through federally funded opportunities, the contract includes an Indigenous Benefits Plan that will provide socio-economic benefits to the Indigenous communities in and outside the NCR.