Briefing Note
Daiene Vernile, MPP
Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Transportation
10th Street Bridge Replacement
Highways 6/21 Connecting Link
City of Owen Sound
Issue:
The 10th Street Bridge carries in excess of 30,000 vehicles per day (vpd) across the Sydenham River. It is the primary east/west arterial through the City of Owen Sound and is also the designated Highway Connecting Link for Highways 6 and 21. The bridge is in an advanced state of deterioration and requires replacement within the three year time horizon. Failure to meet this timeline may result in the imposition of severe load restrictions and/or closure of the bridge to protect the public safety.
The municipality currently is undertaking a Class Environmental Assessment for the replacement of the structure. Funding is required under the Connecting Link Program to fund the design of the structure in the 2018/19 fiscal year and the construction of a replacement of the structure in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 fiscal years
Background:
Owen Sound is the county seat for Grey County and the urban hub for Grey and northern Bruce Counties. Highways 6, 10, 21 and 26 are the primary linkages with the remainder of the province and serve the regional needs of the area. Tenth Street is a highway connecting link for Highways 6 and 21.
The 10th Street Bridge is a 30 m long, single span filled concrete arch structure over the Sydenham River in the heart of downtown Owen Sound. The bridge was initially constructed in 1905 and was widened in the 1950's. A major rehabilitation was undertaken in the 1970's and a final widening was constructed in the 1990's to improve pedestrian access across the river. The bridge is five lanes wide consisting of two through lanes in each direction and a westbound right turn lane. The bridge carries in excess of 30,000 vpd and is operating beyond its capacity.
The structure is beyond the end of its useful life. The bridge is being inspected annually given its age and the advanced state of deterioration. The structure is in fair to poor condition. The OSIM inspection report indicates that significant rehabilitation work is required. In the 1990's, a comprehensive study of the structure was undertaken which included analyzing core samples from various portions of the structure. The findings indicated that the original concrete is in fair to poor condition. The overlay placed on the soffit in the 1950's is in somewhat better condition but is also showing significant deterioration. Given the high cost of rehabilitation and the short extension of life that the rehabilitation would provide, it is the opinion of our consultants that rather than investing in a rehabilitation effort for a short term gain, the City should target a full replacement of the structure within three years and allocate funds appropriately.
Considerations
The bridge is a vital east west connector for the Province, the County and the City. The bridge will need to be taken out of service for between 18 and 24 months in order to remove the existing structure and construct a new structure. Alternatives for rapid bridge replacement are being investigated in order to reduce the construction time to a minimum.
Options for providing interim capacity across the river are being examined. With the hospital and the fire hall on the east side of the river and the police station on the west side of the river, there is a need for additional capacity so that response times can be maintained for both halves of the community.
Given the close proximity of the site to the downtown core there will be a significant impact on the local businesses. Special arrangements will need to be incorporated into the design of the project so that the impact on the local economy is mitigated to the extent possible.
The estimated cost of the works is currently expected to be in the order of $7.5 M. To put the financial impact of the project into context, the capital budget for the entire municipality is only $2.0 M and the current capital needs for the municipality exceed $3.0 M annually. The project also comes on the back of a requirement to upgrade the City's sewage treatment plant to secondary capability at a cost of over $48 M. Construction of the upgrades commenced in 2014 and the project is now nearing completion. While the City was very fortunate to receive $15.0 M from each of the senior levels of government, the City had to debenture the balance of the cost. The proposed bridge project will place a further burden on the City's financial capacity. Given the Province's commitment to expand the funding envelope under the Connecting Links Program, we would request that consideration be given to expanding the maximum subsidizable contribution from $3.0 M to $5.0 M.
Conclusion:
The bridge is a vital linkage for all levels of government and there is a need for immediate attention if we are to avoid significant restrictions which will affect the movement of people, goods and services throughout the region. The Province has a vested interest in the project and it is hoped that the City can rely on assistance from the Province to complete this important project.
Recommendations:
That the Province consider the project for funding under the Connecting Link Program and that the maximum subsidizable expenditure be increased from $3.0 M to $5.0 M