WINNIPEG, MB - October 19, 2012 - Today, Greg Selinger, Premier of Manitoba, the Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Transport) and Member of Parliament for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia, and Sam Katz, Mayor of Winnipeg, celebrated the official opening of the Disraeli Bridges Project in Winnipeg. The largest bridge project in the history of the City opened on time and on budget.
"Rebuilding the Disraeli was a mammoth undertaking, completed on time and on budget," said Premier Selinger. "With the addition of a bike and pedestrian bridge to be completed next year, the new Disraeli Bridges will move traffic more smoothly and safely than ever before."
"The Disraeli Bridges are a major corridor that greatly impact the way people in Winnipeg travel throughout our great city," said Minister of State Fletcher. "Our government is proud of our $18.3 million investment which will help reduce commute times for motorists here in Winnipeg. Investing in infrastructure projects like the Disraeli Bridges is just one of the ways our government is working to create jobs and strengthen local economies across Canada, including Manitoba."
"These bridges over the Red River are Winnipeg's principle connection between the downtown and northeastern areas. Thanks to ingenuity in planning and commitment from Council, the bridge remained opened at all times, with only minor traffic disruptions to Winnipeg motorists throughout the construction period,' said Mayor Sam Katz. "I am pleased to see another P3 project coming in on time and on budget."
The original Disraeli Bridges were constructed in 1959/60 and have served the City for 50 years. Work on the new Disraeli Bridges began in January 2010 when it was announced the project's $195 million construction costs would be financed, in part, through a Public - Private Partnership (P3) funding arrangement, with $18.3 million provided by the Government of Canada through the Gas Tax Fund. Plenary Roads Winnipeg was the private consortium selected for the project.
The Disraeli Bridges Project followed the "design-build-finance-maintain" model of procurement. Under this model, the private-sector partner is responsible for financing, design, construction and maintenance costs during the term of the contract which, in this case, 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
Additional funding of $53.3 million is being provided by the Government of Manitoba
The project included several key features:
- Two kilometres of new roads for the Disraeli Freeway, between Main Street and Hespeler Avenue;
- New bridge structures to cross the Red River and Canadian Pacific mainline;
- Reorganized and improved vehicular access and exit points;
- Revitalized landscaping and entrance points for adjacent communities; and
- Improved lighting, landscape features and aesthetic elements to create a more attractive and residential atmosphere for adjoining neighbourhoods.
Work is underway on the final phase of the project - a separate active transportation bridge over the Red River. The pedestrian bridge, which uses the existing piers from the old Disraeli Bridge structure, is expected to open in the fall of 2013.
Funding for this project is provided through the Canada-Manitoba Gas Tax Funding Agreement. Through this agreement, Manitoba municipalities receive a share of federal gas tax revenues to support environmentally sustainable municipal infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges, public transit, water and wastewater infrastructure, community energy systems, and solid waste management.