Spiralling costs have upped the ante on repairs to Burnhamthorpe Rd. bridges over the Credit River and Mullet Creek. The jobs will now set the City back $10.75 million, more than $4 million over the original estimate.
City officials are pointing the finger at overall increase in construction and steel costs, the complexity of the project and the need for more extensive repairs than was originally expected.
Because of the cost overrun, the City is settling for a standard, widely-used railing instead of a fancier version. This substitution will reduce the cost of the project by $1.2 million.
Still on the drawing board, however, is a widening of the outside of the bridges to provide bike lanes and the addition of the barriers for the protection of pedestrians.
The City has been allocated $9 million from the Province’s $400-million Municipal Road and Bridge Infrastructure Investment program, and part of these funds will be used to offset the shortfall.
Currently, the railing on the bridges does not meet existing bridge code requirements. There have been calls for the railing to be made higher after a cyclist was killed after falling over the railing two years ago.
jchin@mississauga.net
