5th Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project

Start: November 2018

End: Ongoing

Last Updated: December 21, 2020

Project Description:

Originally constructed in 1960, the 5th Street Bridge is an important piece of transportation infrastructure spanning the Courtenay River. The City of Courtenay will be rehabilitating the 5th Street Bridge in 2021. The rehabilitation will include the removal of the existing lead-based coating from the structural steel and replacing it with a new coating to help protect the bridge from corrosion. Other upgrades will include deck beam repairs, removal and replacement of the concrete overlay as well as installation of a cathodic protection system to control corrosion. The last significant investment in the bridge, a seismic upgrade, was completed in 2012.

Have Your Say on the Colour of the 5th Street Bridge

Should the bridge colour stay the same? Or would you like it to change when the bridge is rehabilitated in 2021? Survey deadline January 13, 2021.

5th Street Bridge Project Overview

Scope
Schedule
What To Expect During Construction
Budget and Funding
Council Reports

Frequently Asked Questions

Public Engagement

Thank you to those who attended the drop-in Open House on November 21, 2019 to learn about the 5th Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project, as well as those who completed an online survey.

Open House Display Boards [PDF - 8 MB]

What We Heard - Phase1 Public Engagement Summary [PDF - 1 MB]

Online Survey

Thank you to all those who provided feedback on the 5th Street Bridge Rehabilitation project through an online survey. The survey closed on December 6, 2019.

5th Street Bridge Project E-Newsletter

To stay informed, sign-up for project updates here:

Scope

The proposed scope for the 5th Street Rehabilitation Project includes:

Removal of the lead‐based paint
Recoating of all the steel
Steel repairs to the end of the deck beams underneath the bridge
Removal of the hand rails and hot dip galvanizing the railings and rub rails
Removal of existing overlay
Deck concrete removal to a partial depth
Placement of a new concrete overlay, including cathodic protection
Line painting

Detailed planning is underway to:

Mitigate construction impacts to all modes of transportation including emergency vehicles, transit and active transportation
Identify and plan for environmental/regulatory considerations including protection, mitigation and permitting
Schedule construction, considering phasing and seasons
Safeguard important community utilities (water, gas and tele-communications) that run under the bridge

Schedule

A multi-phased planning process is underway and construction is expected to begin in 2021, however a detailed schedule has not yet been finalized. Public engagement will occur throughout the process.

Active construction is expected to take approximately six months. The timing and length of the work will be informed by seasonal weather, regulatory requirements, and minimizing impacts to the public.

Prior to commencing any work, extensive communications will ensure the public knows what to expect during construction.

The project is partially funded by a New Building Canada- Small Communities grant. The deadline to complete the project, under the terms of the grant is March 2022.

What to Expect During Construction

The 5th Street Bridge is coated in lead paint that must be removed to address the corrosion within the steel. To protect the surrounding environment, the bridge will need to be wrapped for significant lengths of time during the project. Metal scaffolding around the bridge will be covered to prevent lead paint and other contaminants from entering the Courtenay River and surrounding area. The scaffolding required to safely complete the work will narrow the vehicle travelling lanes, reducing the available lane width and height.

Traffic

Maintaining access for all modes of transportation is an important consideration as options are explored in coming months.

Traffic will need to be reduced to one lane during construction and brief intermittent periods of full closure may be required at times. There may also be implications for emergency vehicles which are considered in parallel with large trucks and buses. This requires further analysis and is being considered as the project scope is finalized and a traffic management plan is completed.

The traffic management study will be completed to determine the most efficient and safe options for the travelling public. It will take into consideration technical and public input.

Noise

In order to remove the lead paint and re-coat the steel structure, high pressure compressors are used. The compressors can produce a great deal of noise. The City will explore the application of noise barriers to reduce the impact.

Lighting

Should work be completed during evening hours, construction lighting may be used.

Construction lay-down area

The contractor will require a large area beside the bridge for storage of equipment, supplies, vehicles and a constructions trailer.

Bridges serve an important role in our communities and require thoughtful consideration when it comes to repair and investment. The City is committed to identifying all possible ways to expedite the timeline while ensuring public safety and minimizing costs.

Budget and Funding

The current estimate for the Fifth Street Bridge Rehabilitation project is $6.3 million.

Project Element	Rehabilitation
Outcome	A rehabilitated crossing with extended service life, with full utilization of the grant.
Bridge Recoating & Deck Renewal	$4.1 million
Structural and Traffic	$2.2 million
TOTAL	$6.3 million
Fed / Prov Grant	$1.96 million
Reserves	$0.94 million
City Borrowing Amount	$3.4 million

Cost estimates are based on discussions with the City’s design team and industry contractors who track recently completed projects in Western Canada to inform their estimates. These estimates also compare bridge work undertaken in Campbell River and Duncan in 2018.

The City of Courtenay was successful in securing a grant of $1.96 million though the New Building Canada- Small Communities fund, which requires construction completion by March 2022. The remainder of the project costs will be funded by the City of Courtenay.

As directed by Council, the City used the Alternative Approval Process to seek approval for borrowing to help fund the project.