Almost $3 billionthe cost of replacing the Île d’Orléans bridge “is high” and “can startle”, recognizes the Minister of Transport, but resuming the call for tenders process would have delayed its commissioning by three years moreover.
“It’s a project that has dragged on for a long time,” lamented the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility from the outset.
Photo Marc-André Gagnon
“We’ve been talking for a really long time about the fact that the Île d’Orléans bridge must be rebuilt,” she recalled, during a press conference at the Espace Felix-Leclerc, alongside of his colleagues Jonatan Julien, Kariane Bourassa and Jean-François Simard.
As revealed on Tuesday, the cost of building a future cable-stayed bridge to connect the island to Quebec City totals $2.759 billion, including the demolition by 2033 of the current bridge, which will then be almost a century old.
Quebec refuses to specify how much the initial estimate was, but we know that since the unveiling of the preliminary concept in 2020, costs have exploded.
In 2014, the figure of $400 million was circulated, but to avoid harming calls for tenders, the government limited itself to talking about a project worth “a few hundred million” when unveiling the preliminary concept, in 2020.
At the end of a two-stage call for tenders process, during which three consortia qualified, only two proposals were submitted for the design-build of the bridge, with a gap of $700 million between them.
The least expensive, which amounts to $1.856 billion, was presented by the Groupe Héritage Île-d’Orléans consortium (Dragados Canada inc. and EBC inc.). After numerous discussions in the Council of Ministers, the contract was finally signed on April 2.
- Listen to the Dutrizac – Dumont meeting via QUB:
Necessary
“We had to move forward,” summarized Minister Guilbault, citing in particular the security issues with the current old bridge, which remains the only road link for the 7,000 islanders, which is also used by 800,000 tourists per year. year.
At 2.75 billion for 7,000 islanders, the cost of the bridge comes to nearly $400,000 per capita. At the height of the summer season and fall harvests, the average daily throughput of the bridge is 15,000 vehicles per day, compared to 11,000 vehicles per day in normal times. Forecasts, even in the very long term, do not suggest an increase in ridership.
“We cannot do without a new bridge on the Île d’Orléans: it is too important and it is too vital,” argued the Deputy Prime Minister, speaking of a “ responsible and necessary decision.
As this is an essential access link for the islanders, the possibility of imposing a toll was not considered. In total, 14 scenarios were analyzed. Even renovating the current bridge was explored, but this option was more expensive than building a new bridge.
Among the constraints which contributed to inflating the cost: the ban, imposed on the builder, from transporting materials via the current bridge. Everything will have to be transported by barges, which is expected to be the equivalent of 17,000 heavy truck crossings that would otherwise have used the old bridge.
Geotechnically, the design of the new bridge includes several major challenges. To support the new structure on the rock, 58 piles will have to be buried up to nearly a hundred meters deep in places: this is the equivalent of the height of the Château Frontenac or the Price building.
Julien promises “a little revolution”
“It’s true that it is expensive,” said the minister responsible for the National Capital, Jonatan Julien.
The one who is also Minister of Infrastructure still said he was “very proud” to bring to fruition “a distinctive” and “inspiring” project for the national capital.
“All major projects are becoming more and more expensive,” observed Mr. Julien.
His government is already using this project to promote the creation of a possible transport agency.
Minister Julien also promises to unveil “in the next month” the broad outlines of his plan, which he presents as “a small revolution in the management of public infrastructure”, essentially to do things faster and cheaper.
– With the collaboration of Diane Tremblay
Factors that contributed to the cost explosion:
- Little competition: only two proposals for design-build, with a $700 million gap between them
- Ban on transporting construction materials via the current bridge, which is too fragile: this is equivalent to 17,000 truck trips which will be moved by barge
- A complex project in a highly sensitive environment, with major constraints of a heritage, environmental and geotechnical nature
- Presence of a baret spawning ground and habitat for threatened or vulnerable species of mussels, fish and herbaceous plants
- Presence of two seismic faults (inactive): Logan and Montmorency
- Presence of liquefiable soil, forcing the installation of 58 piles, some up to 80 meters deep
What they said:
“It took the CAQ six years [avant d’octroyer le contrat de conception-construction]. So, in terms of deadlines, the CAQ has no lessons to teach anyone. We will demand transparency and respect for the budget and schedule. It’s necessary, the Île d’Orléans bridge is a question of safety. »
– Marc Tanguay, interim leader of the Quebec Liberal Party
“When I saw the number this morning, I jumped. That’s a lot of money. The question to ask is: why have we got to this point? We know the answer. The CAQ procrastinated for years on announcing a new bridge because they were trying to fit this project into another, the third link. »
– Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire
“A bridge threatens to collapse. You have no choice but to fix it. […] The CAQ procrastinated on this issue because of the third link. […] It is not normal that the project goes from around 500 million to around 2.7 billion. »
– Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois
“2.7 billion for a bridge on the Île d’Orléans, […] it’s insane. […] Justified only if it is integrated into the 3elink project between our two shores. »
– Éric Duhaime, leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec
“We are told we want to increase partnerships with the First Nations, but for the moment, I see nothing from the CAQ. We have been working for more than two years to demonstrate that the Huron-Wendat nation can be an interesting partner. We want to participate by obtaining our share of contracts and on that, we remain on our appetite today”
Rémy Vincent, great chief of the Huron-Wendat nation
“We are delighted with the portion reserved for active transportation on the replacement bridge. Cyclists, pedestrians and pedestrians will now be able to travel safely and comfortably to Île d’Orléans via unidirectional multipurpose paths separated from the automobile lane. »
– Marie-Soleil Gagné, general director of Access viable transports