Port au Port Peninsula gets new bridge, but mayor and MHA say wait was too long

Residents of western Newfoundland say they're relieved the provincial government will soon replace an aging bridge that links the Port au Port Peninsula to the rest of the island.

But a mayor and the area'sMHA say they waited far too long for the $7.8-million project to get off the ground.

"The Romaines River Bridge is in deplorable condition and has been for many, many years. Government inspections determined that a long time ago," said Jim Cashin, mayor of Port au Port East.

Cashinwas first elected to town council 18 years ago and says he's advocated for a new bridge ever since. The nearly two-decade wait was "atrocious," he said.

The provincial government announced a deal with Ottawa in July 2019 to demolish and rebuild the bridge, but the project tender was issued only last month.

Inspection reportsdetail numerous structural problems with the bridge, built in 1970. The last assessmentavailable on the government's website, dated April 2020, recommended the current bridge be replaced and described the "poor" condition of its pavement, railings, curbs andexpansion joints, as well as its super- and substructure.

"Vehicles have been having many, many repairs being done as a consequence of the condition [of the bridge] and there's always been the worry that we would have catastrophic failure leaving us stranded," said Cashin.

"This is the only link. There's no other way to get to a hospital, there's no other way for people to get back and forth to work. This is the only place to get groceries or do any shopping. This is crucial."

No safety risks, says department

In a statement, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said there are "no safety risks associated with Romaines River Bridgeand the bridge continues to be safe for all users."

"Significant engineering work must be completed before a tender can be issued to replace a bridge. This includes geotechnical work, hydrology studies, concept designs, tender designsand an RFP[request for proposals]for a design of the new bridge," the statement reads. "For this project, as the road will be reconstructed to align with the new bridge, a new road design to determine the best solution for the new road was also required. All of this takes time to complete."

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Elvis Loveless was attending a funeral and unavailable for an interview, according to a spokesperson.

Construction should be completed in 2024

On Nov. 10, Complete Concrete Solutions was awarded the$7.8-million contractto construct the new two-span bridge. Thenew 12-metre structure will be erected a few metres south of the existing bridge, which will be dismantled.

The new bridge will be "capable of withstanding increased water flows during major weather events, including resistance to ice damming," according to a Nov. 10 government press release.

Work will begin in the new year and will be completed in 2024, said a department spokesperson Monday.

Timeline 'could have been expedited,' says PC MHA

Tony Wakeham, the Progressive-Conservative MHA for Stephenville-Port au Port, said that in the interim, "it's going to be critical for government to continue to monitor the existing bridge because the new bridge will not be built overnight."

"I understand sometimes that getting access to funding between the federal and provincial governments is often a slow process, but at the same time, we've been speaking out about this.I can show you email after email,"Wakehamsaid. "The timeline, to me, could have been expedited."

About 5,000 people live on the Port au Port Peninsula, a few kilometres west of Stephenville.

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