Projected price tag for Centennial Bridge retrofit hits $100M

The cost of the multi-year rehabilitation of the Centennial Bridge in Miramichi, N.B., will rise to about $100 million from the initial estimate of about $80 million, the provincial government has announced.

A full closure of the bridge for up to six months was another highlight of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure's project update, provided to Miramichi city and business officials Friday.

In 2015, the provinceannounced a nine-year, $82.8 million project to refurbish the aged bridge.The province was said to beinvesting$44.2 million through the strategic infrastructure initiative, while the federal government contributesup to $38.6 million under the New Building Canada Plan.

The overall cost wasadjusted as work continues, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Bill Fraser said on Monday.

"With a project of this size, as you get into doing work over multiple years, the budget adjusts accordingly based on what needs to be done, based on what we find when we start dismantling and doing the work that we need to do," Fraser said.

"It's a massive effort, the rehabilitation of this iconic structure."

The new cost estimate was announced after consulting with project engineers, Fraser said. It's the largestproject the department has ever undertaken, he said.

"We expect that it will extend the lifespan of this bridge by about 50 years," he said.

Construction is expected to be finished in 2021.

Full closure

Afull closure of the bridge is expected in 2020 as bearing and abutment work is completed. Fraser said the closure could last up to half the year, likely between April and November.

Friday's meeting also included a discussion of plans to establish detours and ease traffic congestion as a result of closing the busy bridge and what's seen as an important connection between the northern and southern parts of the province.

Fraser said the bridge serves about 15,000 vehicleseach day.

The minister said the plans include$1.8 million for a roundabout to be built at the intersection of routes 8, 117 and 126 as well as funding to alter the King George Highway adding left turning lanes, for instance.

Opened in 1967, the 1.1 - kilometre Centennial Bridge was designed to handle the commercial vehicles and traffic of the 1960s, Fraser said, adding it's "no longer adequate for the current traffic demands."