Town of Drumheller council unanimously agreed to cancel a tender for the Bridge 11 replacement project at the regular Monday, September 19 council meeting.
The tender for the Bridge 11 replacement project in Wayne has been cancelled due to the significant over budget bids received from the Request for Tender published in July 2022.
“The lowest bid of the four applicants was almost two-and-a-half times the original budget from the province, Wheatland County and the Town of Drumheller,” explains Director of Infrastructure Services Dave Brett. “We cannot, in good faith, ask Mayor and Council to supplement an additional $4,000,000 toward this project. Though the bids were competitive, all within three per cent of each other, we are seeing a significant impact from the effects COVID-19 has had on the global supply chain along with inflationary factors resulting in escalated costs. It’s incredible.”
The total budget for this project is $3.2 million, with 75 per cent of it funded by the province, and the remaining municipal portion funded by the Town of Drumheller and Wheatland County at 21 per cent and four per cent respectively.
The Town’s engineering partner, MPE Engineering LTD., also advised the town to “not award the project at this time,” and noted the effects of the COVID-19 deliveries and inflation are not “temporary and continue to increase,”.
Of the 11 bridges in Wayne, three are owned by the Town of Drumheller. This is a result of a negotiation that occurred in the 1990’s with Alberta Transportation and the Town’s Administration at the time.
The Town of Drumheller is responsible for Bridges 9, 10 and 11, which includes all repair and replacement costs.
Administration will continue to investigate additional funding options for Bridge 11.
The current weight restriction on Bridge 11 remains in effect.
