THUNDER BAY – City councillors expressed deep frustration with cost overruns estimated at half a million dollars for repairs to the pedestrian overpass at Marina Park Monday, but ultimately concluded the city was stuck holding the bill for the work.
Mayor Bill Mauro called the unanticipated costs on a contract originally approved at $1.3 million “really discouraging,” while councillors asked probing questions of the city’s engineering department about how initial estimates could have been so far off.
“You said the consulting engineer uses best practices to give us the scope of work, and he misses 33 per cent of the work?” asked Coun. Andrew Foulds. “It doesn’t sound like best practices to me, to be frank… Missing that amount makes us all look foolish.”
Project engineer Mike Vogrig told councillors testing performed on the overpass before sections were removed by contractor Tom Jones for repairs, which included ultrasonic tests, had not revealed the full extent of section loss on the bridge’s steel beams, among other problems.
“A significant number of welds had deteriorated completely or failed testing over and above what was noted in previous biannual inspections,” stated Vogrig’s report.
The issues had caused cracks in the bridge’s concrete deck and holes in its supporting steel posts, requiring complete replacement of both, the report added.
Significant structural issues with the bridge had been identified for years, with administration warning the bridge could not safely be kept open to the public past this year.
Councillors paused Monday’s public meeting to confer privately with the city’s legal department, after some questioned whether it might be best to put the additional work out on a separate tender to ensure best value, or to abandon the work entirely.
“We’re all feeling a bit boxed in and frustrated here,” said Mauro, who added he had always favoured simply dismantling the structure, first built in 1994.
However, after receiving legal advice in closed session, councillors ultimately voted to accept a recommendation from city engineering to allocate up to $500,000 for the additional work with Tom Jones.
Coun. Albert Aiello cast a lone vote against that motion.
The overpass is expected to be ready for reopening by August of 2021.
