Local

New Disraeli plan satisfies drivers, cyclistsClosure avoided; bike, foot traffic to get own span

By: Bartley Kives

NORTHEAST Winnipeg motorists and cyclists both got what they want from the final design for a rehabilitated Disraeli Freeway: No extended closures during the construction period and a bike-and-pedestrian bridge that doesn't require a detour.The Disraeli Bridge over the Red River will be replaced by a brand-new, four-lane vehicle bridge with a sidewalk and a separate, lower span for bikes and pedestrians, the city announced on Monday, as it unveiled the configuration for the rehabilitation of the 1.1-kilometre Disraeli Freeway, which connects downtown to Elmwood.

Motorists will be able to use the existing Disraeli Freeway during the construction of a new vehicle bridge over the Red as well as a new vehicle overpass above the CPR Keewatin line in Point Douglas. The new design replaces a previous rehabilitation plan that would have seen the busiest link between downtown and northeast Winnipeg closed for about 16 months.

Northeast Winnipeg residents resented the proposed closing, while cyclists were annoyed by a plan to build a separate active-transportation span three blocks to the east.

The new design was commissioned this fall, after the Manitoba government pledged to spend an additional $53.3 million on the Disraeli Freeway rehabilitation, effectively increasing the budget to around $195 million.

City officials then asked three private construction consortia to come up with creative ways to spend that money. "We said, 'This is what our budget is; you guys come forward with the best possible solution,' " said Henry Hunter, the city's procurement manager on major projects.

Winnipeg wound up choosing a design by a group called Plenary Roads Winnipeg, comprised of financier Plenary Group, PCL Constructors, Wardrop Engineering, Stantec Consulting and Borland Construction.

Plenary Roads' design calls for a new Disraeli rail overpass to rise to the east of the existing overpass, while a new Disraeli Bridge will be built to the west of the existing span over the river.

Piers from the existing bridge will be trimmed down and used for a new bike-and-pedestrian bridge, while roadways in Point Douglas, Elmwood and downtown will be reconfigured to match up to the new curving freeway design, according to a promotional video on the city's website.

"Re-using the piers from the river bridge for active transportation is quite innovative," said North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty, one of four city councillors who voted against the previous Disraeli plan.

The rehabilitation plan remains a public-private partnership. The city plans to borrow money to spend $75 million up front, while the remaining $120 million will be financed by Plenary Roads, which will design and build the new freeway, then maintain it for 30 years. The city will then make service payments to cover both the capital costs and maintenance fees, Hunter said.

While the city did not initially intend to build a new vehicle bridge over the Red River, the recession helped make the new design possible within a $195-million budget, Hunter said.

"When we originally looked at this project, we were experiencing unprecedented cost escalations," he said, adding construction inflation has since cooled off.

Construction on the project will begin in 2011 and likely be completed in 2013. It will take another year to finalize the design and obtain environmental approvals, Hunter said.

The existing freeway is safe to use. "If it wasn't safe, it wouldn't be open," he said.

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

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For Immediate Release - Monday, January 11, 2010

Traffic along the Disraeli will Continue to Flow During Construction of the Disraeli Bridges Project

Winnipeg, MB. - Winnipeggers will continue to drive over the Disraeli Bridges during construction of the City’s Disraeli Bridges Project under the terms of a proposal submitted by Plenary Roads Winnipeg, the team the City chose today as the project’s preferred proponent.

The proposed plan will see minimal disruption to motorists and features construction of a new separate Active Transportation (pedestrian/cycling) bridge over the Red River, built alongside a new vehicular bridge, allowing Winnipeggers to use all forms of Active Transportation while crossing the Red River, away from traffic.

“This was the highest scoring proposal and the best value for money choice in terms of costs and benefits,” said Henry Hunter, the City of Winnipeg’s procurement process Lead for the Disraeli Bridges Project.

Key features of the Plenary Roads Winnipeg proposal include:

·        During construction, traffic along the Disraeli will not be interrupted during peak travel times Mondays to Fridays, with a minimum of four travel lanes being available.

·        The existing bridges will be replaced with new structures.

·        The roadway will be realigned, and exits and entrances will be redesigned to allow for smoother traffic and pedestrian flow.

·        A separate new Active Transportation bridge will be built over the existing river bridge piers, providing an accessible, functional and aesthetically pleasing crossing of the Red River. This dedicated bridge will contribute to the City’s overall Active Transportation network.

The Plenary Roads Winnipeg team comprises Plenary Group (Canada) Ltd., PCL Constructors Canada Inc., Wardrop Engineering Inc., Stantec Consulting Ltd. and Borland Construction Inc. The team has global and local experience.

The Disraeli Bridges Project follows the “design-build-finance-maintain” (DBFM) model of procurement. Under this model, the private-sector partner is responsible for all financing, design, construction and maintenance costs during the term of the contract, which in the case of the Disraeli Bridges Project is 30 years. For its part, the City will make a commissioning payment and then annual performance-based service payments to the private-sector partner. The new bridges have a design life of 75 years.

The City’s capital budgets have allocated a total of $195 million for the project. This is a preliminary estimate, and the actual amount may change as plans are finalized. The Governments of Canada and Manitoba have also contributed funding towards the Disraeli Bridges Project.

The Disraeli Bridges were originally constructed in 1959/60 and have served the City for 50 years. Construction of the new Disraeli Bridges is expected to begin in 2011 following finalization of project agreements, detailed design and environmental approvals.

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For more information about the Disraeli Bridges Project, visit:

http://www.winnipeg.ca/DisraeliBridges