Canada expedites new Champlain Bridge by dropping design competition

The government has announced a new accelerated timeline for construction that sees the bridge’s designer chosen directly instead of holding a competition.

Arup Canada had been awarded a contract last month to provide engineering and coordination services for the new bridge. Local media reports say that Poul Ove Jensen of Dissing + Weitling has now been appointed by Arup to assist with the bridge design.

"We will deliver the new bridge for the St Lawrence in 2018, three years earlier than originally planned,” said minister Denis Lebel. “In fact, concrete actions to move the project ahead have already been taken.”

The award of the contract for engineering and coordination services to Arup Canada in October has already accelerated the original timeline significantly, said the government. The procurement process for the public-private partnership (PPP) to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the new bridge will now launched in early spring 2014.

Although an international architectural contest must now be set aside, precise architectural guidelines for the design of the new bridge will be included in the PPP procurement documents, the government said. The accelerated timeline responds to the recommendations of the Buckland & Taylor report, prepared for the Jacques-Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI) as part of the Champlain Bridge surveillance and maintenance programme.

The existing bridge is in poor condition; the latest problem was last month’s discovery of a significant crack that necessitated urgent repairs.

“While we cannot cut corners with infrastructure of such great importance for the metropolis and the economy of our country, we can certainly accelerate the process,” said Lebel. “No effort will be spared to deliver this project on time and within budget, keeping travellers and goods moving safely and efficiently through this important trade and transportation corridor.”

Champlain Bridge is one of the busiest in Canada, with some US$20 billion worth of international trade crossing it every year.