Allyson Beauregard
MANSFIELD, FORT-
Allyson Beauregard
MANSFIELD, FORT-
COULONGE, AYLMER – After a long wait, the tendering processes for two major projects through the Ministry of Transport have recently begun: the complete restoration of the Marchand Bridge to be used again by vehicular traffic and the reconstruction of the 2.5 kilometres of Highway 148 between Terry Fox and Maple roads near Aylmer.
The reconstruction of the section of Hwy 148, which includes the widening of
the lanes and shoulders, the rehabilitation of the drainage system, and the addition of a section of the Route Verte, first started with the acquisition of the land needed for the project between 2012 and 2014. Work to install new poles and the relocation of the utility lines (Hydro, Videotron and Bell) began in 2015 and continued until last fall. Fifty-six old poles were then removed.
The tender to begin the work was posted at the beginning of May and work is expected to begin in late June, about six months later than originally planned. According to Pontiac MNA André Fortin, the setback is due to the large number
of expropriations required (73), and a delay in moving and removing utility lines and poles.
Marchand Bridge
Three years after being closed to both vehicular traffic and pedestrians, the tendering process to start the reconstruction of the Marchand Bridge has begun. The first tender’s purpose is to find a firm to act as the surveillance manager for the project, to be chosen by the end of June. This firm will be responsible for overseeing the entire project and ensuring the work is up to standards given the large-scale nature of the project, the state of the bridge, its heritage status and the resulting number of technical requirements.
When a surveillance manager is chosen, the tendering process to hire a general contractor will follow. After the work on the bridge begins, the project
is expected to take about 18 months to complete.
The rehabilitation of the bridge will include reinforcing the structure, re-doing the roof and sideboards, fixing the unevenness of the floor and a structural realignment to address the bridge’s lateral shifting.
