Alexandra Bridge and sixth crossing overview: Committee of the Whole—May 19, 2022
Document navigation for "Committee of the Whole: May 19, 2022"
Alexandra Bridge and sixth crossing
In this section
Key data points
- There are 5 interprovincial crossings in the National Capital Region. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) manages and operates the Alexandra Bridge (built in 1901), Chaudière Crossing (with the Union Bridge built in 1919 being the oldest of the 8 structures) and the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge (built in 1965)
- My department is working closely with the National Capital Commission (NCC) and the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau, and other partners, to ensure federal bridges in the National Capital Region are safely and effectively serving Canadians
- Budget 2019 provided funding for the replacement of the Alexandra Bridge, the rehabilitation and ongoing maintenance of the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge, and the Chaudière Crossing
- Planning activities, including the 5 to 6 year impact assessment process, are underway to replace the Alexandra Bridge, with construction of the new bridge scheduled to begin in 2028. In the meantime, inspections and repair work continue to ensure the bridge remains safe and accessible until it is replaced
- WSP Canada Group Limited was awarded the contract by the National Capital Commission to refresh the 2013 technical studies previously mentioned on a potential sixth crossing at a cost of approximately $440,000
- Transportation studies conducted over the last 10 years have consistently shown that the 5 existing crossings and connecting roadways are at full capacity during morning and evening peak travel times
- The National Capital Commission has recently approved a Long-term Integrated Interprovincial Crossings Plan that was developed in close collaboration with all its partners to support decision-making at all levels of government based on continued data collection, including such elements as post-pandemic commuting patterns
- Additional data, such as trucking information and post-pandemic commuting patterns, will continue to be sought to ensure that the Long-Term Integrated Interprovincial Crossings Plan remains current and informs the sixth crossing planning
- Budget 2021 also mandated Public Services and Procurement Canada to establish a dedicated project office responsible for addressing the need for an additional National Capital Region crossing, jointly with the National Capital Commission. The project office was established in fall 2021 and will continue to grow as the project progresses
Alexandra Bridge
- The Government of Canada is committed to maintaining the integrity of its infrastructure, while ensuring the safety of its assets and conserving its heritage
- The Alexandra Bridge is over 100 years old and is nearing the end of its lifecycle. Over the last few years, the state of the bridge has continued to deteriorate which has and will continue to result in more frequent closures to perform the necessary rehabilitation and repair work to keep serving users
- A 2017 third-party life-cycle cost assessment looked at options for investing in the Alexandra Bridge over the long term. The study determined that replacing the bridge would be less disruptive to the public, as well as more economical, than attempting to maintain the existing bridge
- A structural evaluation of the bridge (completed in March 2020) revealed that due to the deterioration of several bridge members, load restrictions were required. Its replacement became more critical after inspectors found an unexpected structural flaw, which forced the bridge’s closure for several weeks in 2020, for emergency repairs. Other repair projects are planned and will be completed to ensure the bridge remains safe and accessible until its replacement
- The preliminary cost estimates of the various potential replacement options were also released, although they are not final and have increased over time as forecast by PSPC internal experts. An additional study is underway to assess the feasibility of maintaining the bridge
- The study is not intended to reassess the government’s decision to replace the bridge. The intention is to confirm our expert opinion that maintaining the structure another 75 years would be extremely complex and high risk and that the impacts in terms of heritage, costs and environmental may be similar or greater than a replacement project. The preliminary conclusion of the study is that the government continues with the replacement project
- The Government of Canada understands the heritage value and character-defining elements unique to the bridge and its cultural landscape setting. Work has begun with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada to establish a peer review panel, which will be engaged to provide independent advice to respond to the requirement for the preservation of heritage elements in the new build
- PSPC and the NCC will work together to consult and coordinate with our partners including the City of Gatineau, the City of Ottawa, Indigenous communities as well as other stakeholders and jurisdictions to develop a comprehensive plan to reduce impacts to the public and businesses while the bridge is replaced
- The planning and impact assessment activities for this replacement project are underway. The project team will continue to publish studies proactively as the project progresses
- In the meantime, the Alexandra Bridge is safe for use by the general public. PSPC undertakes regular, rigorous inspection and monitoring so that the bridge remains safe at all times for all users until it is replaced
- Necessary work is undertaken regularly to ensure its safety. For example, a structural steel replacement project has recently been completed and a boardwalk lane replacement and an articulation joint repair project is currently underway
- A monitoring system has been installed to provide real-time data on the state of the bridge. Of note, the need for ongoing maintenance of the bridge results in frequent closures to allow all repairs to occur, which impacts the community
Long Term Integrated Interprovincial Crossings Plan
- Developed in consultation with regional municipal, provincial and federal agencies, stakeholders and the public, the vision for the plan sets a sustainable path to achieve common goals and objectives under 5 strategic pillars:
- one region (transportation integration)
- sustainable use of crossing infrastructure
- environment and climate change
- economy
- quality of life
- The plan includes key directions, strategies and initiatives to help the region achieve these goals and objectives, and to monitor progress toward short-, medium-, and long-term targets
- The NCC will continue to collaborate with agencies to implement the plan, which involves the following activities:
- an update to the travel and goods movement data
- development of a monitoring plan to evaluate how the plan is performing
- prioritization and implementation of strategies
- study of alternative governance models
- update to the plan once new data is available
Sixth crossing
- Budget 2019 directed the NCC to “Address the demonstrated need for an additional National Capital Region crossing by refreshing existing studies and developing a long-term integrated interprovincial crossing plan with both provincial governments and the cities of Gatineau and Ottawa”
- With regard to the first commitment, in 2020 the NCC completed a refresh of existing technical studies on 3 potential corridors: Kettle Island (corridor 5), Lower Duck Island (corridor 6), and McLaurin Bay (corridor 7)
- The purpose of the refresh was not to recommend a specific corridor. Any next steps on a potential sixth crossing project will depend on further planning activities and would leverage the results of the Long-term Integrated Interprovincial Crossings Plan, completed and approved by the National Capital Commission’s Board of Directors in winter 2022
- Separately, PSPC engaged WSP Canada Group Limited to assist with conceptual designs, cost estimates, and a refreshed assessment and evaluation of 3 potential corridors, for internal use to inform departmental work (this work cost $1,384,037)
- Studies for this replacement project are underway. The project team will continue to publish studies proactively as the project progresses