$1 million for short-term Placentia bridge fix

The provincial government says it will spend $1 million on immediate repairs to the Placentia lift bridge.

On Monday, the province announced that commercial vehicles weighing more than 13,000 kilograms are now barred from using the bridge. Officials made the move after concerns raised by a structural evaluation.

Last year, the government opted against proceeding with the construction of a replacement bridge, citing the cost.

The only bid was more than $43 million, or nearly double the expected cost.

"We committed to evaluating, monitoring, and repairing the bridge on an ongoing basis, and the repairs we intend to carry out are expected to extend the service life of the bridge while we proceed with a longer-term solution," Transportation Minister Tom Hedderson said in a press release on Tuesday.

The government said the bridges lift mechanism is fully functional, and the bridge is safe for public use provided the load restriction is observed.

Hedderson said his department began examining its options after deciding to reject the 2011 tender call results.

"We concluded our best option was to redevelop the bridge design that was included in the tender to encourage new and more competitive bids," the minister said.

"We intend to reissue the tender in the very near future, and I look forward to seeing more competitive submissions from heavy civil companies."