With a few minor contract changes the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge upgrade will be easier than the Lions Gate Project

Bridge Closures on Saturday October 2, xxxx

 https://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/PubDocs/bcdocs/349803/lionsgateproject.htm

 Incorrect image:

Piece of Cake

LIONS GATE PROJECT
BUDGET TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT DISCLOSURE
December 5, 2001     



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Lions Gate Project is one of the most complex engineering and construction assignments undertaken in British Columbia.  It is the first time worldwide that the deck and trusses of a major suspension bridge have been replaced simultaneously while allowing traffic to use the bridge during the replacement.

The work includes replacement of the original bridge deck with new, wider prefabricated deck sections, a full seismic upgrade, new lighting, new lane control system, rehabilitation of the Stanley Park Causeway and wider sidewalks throughout the entire corridor.

In May 1999, a budget of $99.9 million was authorized by Cabinet for the project and an $88.6 million contract was awarded to ?American Bridge/Surespan? -- A Joint Venture for the required construction/fabrication/assembly work.  Costs for project management and engineering made up the remainder of the budget.  A project of this complexity would normally have a 15-25 per cent contingency allocation.  The government of the day did not authorize any contingency despite a request for an appropriate allocation by the Project Team.

Sixty years ago, on November 12, 1938, the Lions Gate Bridge opened for business. On its first day of operations 5,616 vehicles paid 25 cents each for the privilege of crossing the longest suspension bridge in the British Empire.

The 842-meter span, arching 60 meters above the First Narrows provided motorists with a dramatic vista of one of the world's great seaports, teeming with ships from around the world, and a backdrop of forested mountain slopes.

Today, sixty years later, a trip across the Lions Gate is still spectacular.

But a lot has changed in the past six decades. The Vancouver region has boomed, population has skyrocketed and the number of cars on the road has grown exponentially. Traffic on the bridge has increased to more than 60,000 vehicles daily. And like any 61-year-old structure, the Lions Gate has aged and deteriorated.

While the most recognizable parts of the bridge - the cables and towers - remain in good condition, the same cannot be said for the bridge roadway. Sixty years of constant traffic use coupled with the corrosive effects of rain and salt have left the steel and concrete roadway rusty and worn.

To solve this problem, the provincial government announced this year that it will begin the first full-scale rehabilitation of the Lions Gate crossing.

The decision on the bridge rehabilitation came after years of consultation with all affected parties. Local governments, community groups, business organizations, bridge users, cyclists... all had their say. And in the end what they said was preserve the existing structure but add to its inherent value. Invest in the Lions Gate, was the message, so that it will be with us for generations to come.

The main issue facing the Lions Gate Project is to ensure the safe operation of the existing bridge. It has to be structurally sound and operationally efficient. That means replacing the entire surface of the crossing from Lost Lagoon in Vancouver, through Stanley Park and across the First Narrows to the North Shore. The new bridge deck and roadway will be stronger, wider, smoother and safer.

Another important consideration is to make the bridge better for cyclists and pedestrians.

Subsequent to award of the contract, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation agreed to allow the widening of the Stanley Park Causeway, replacement of the Prospect Point Underpass and other improvements to enhance safety.   The Parks Board had previously opposed this safety related work.  In January 2000, an additional $8.2 million was allocated to the Project budget under the terms of a $15 million cost-sharing agreement between the Province, ICBC, TransLink and the City of Vancouver.  This increased the total authorized budget to $108.1 million.

The Project is behind schedule as a result of Contractor delays related to unanticipated complexities encountered in the development of the bridge assembly methodology.  This situation, the resulting delay and the lack of an appropriate contingency allocation resulted in significant pressures on the budget.

In August 2001, the contractor submitted a composite claim for additional compensation relating, in part, to the complexities encountered and related delays.  A mediated settlement was reached October 30, 2001.

On November 7, 2001, Cabinet endorsed a $16.9 million budget adjustment increasing the total budget for the Lions Gate Project to $125.0 million.  This adjustment included funding for unanticipated technical work and safety requirements on the bridge, unanticipated environmental requirements in Stanley park, added project management costs due to the delay, settlement of the contractor's composite claim, and a contingency for the remainder of the project.

Costs should not exceed the adjusted budget as the majority of work has been completed and an appropriate contingency has been allocated for the remaining work.