Government of Canada announces contract awards for future work to improve crossings in National Capital Region

GATINEAU, QC, June 13, 2024 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada continues its Budget 2019 commitment to improve the National Capital Region crossings and ensure safe and reliable infrastructure for movement of people and goods.

Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, announced that the Government of Canada has awarded 2 contracts to provide professional engineering services related to 2 distinct crossing projects in the National Capital Region:

• a $1.1-million contract was awarded to Parsons Inc. for the Southern Structures Renewal Project on the Chaudière Crossing 
• a $647,829 contract was awarded to WSP for the Wearing Surface and Girder Coating Renewal Project on the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge

As work on the Union Bridge and Hull Causeway of the Chaudière Crossing is nearing completion, recent inspections and studies have shown that parts of the southern structures are in poor condition and need to be rehabilitated. The Southern Structures Renewal Project will include the replacement of the Bronson Channel Bridge, as well as the rehabilitation of the Ottawa Hydro Electric Power Commission Channel Bridge and the Buchanan Channel Culvert.

Rehabilitated in 2016, the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge now requires repair work so it continues to be maintained and safe for users. This repair work will protect the structure against corrosion, ensuring proper stewardship of this engineering asset, while improving the lifespan of the bridge.

Construction work on both projects is currently expected to start in 2025. Potential lane closures may occur during the construction phases of these projects. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is working with partners, including the City of Ottawa and the City of Gatineau, and stakeholders to ensure commuting challenges are mitigated. Commuters can stay informed through PSPC's social media platforms and web page on lane reductions and closures on interprovincial bridges in the National Capital Region.

Quotes

"These 2 crossings are vital connections between Gatineau and Ottawa, serving more than 85,000 vehicles daily. As the custodian of these crossings, we are committed to ensuring they are safe for the travelling public. This construction work will establish reliable transportation links for both current and future generations and support the efficient movement of people and goods in the region."

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Public Services and Procurement 

"Downtown is known as Ottawa's 'front door,' and the bridges over the Ottawa River are the welcome mat for tens of thousands of people who live, work and visit here every day. Today's announcement from Minister Jean-Yves Duclos will ensure that these 2 critical links between Ottawa and Gatineau remain safe and secure well into the future. These investments will complement the initiatives outlined in the Downtown Revitalization Task Force report envisioning a transformed downtown for the benefit of the 30,000 residents and over 600 businesses located here, as well as over 11 million people who visit our city each year."

Yasir Naqvi
Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre

Quick facts

• For over 190 years, the Chaudière Crossing has remained a critical link between Ottawa, Ontario, and Gatineau, Quebec. It accommodates more than 15,000 vehicles every day. The Chaudière Crossing passes over the Ottawa River and several hydroelectric waterways. This crossing links Eddy Street in Gatineau to Booth Street in Ottawa.
• The Macdonald-Cartier Bridge is a major urban transportation link between the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau. The bridge was built between 1964 and 1966. It spans the Ottawa River, connecting King Edward Avenue in Ottawa to Highway 5 in Gatineau. This is the principal interprovincial bridge in the National Capital Region for commuters and commercial vehicles. It has an average annual daily traffic volume of over 70,000 vehicles.
• The Union Bridge rehabilitation and Hull Causeway widening started in 2021, and these projects are scheduled for completion in summer or fall 2024.
• In December 2023, PSPC issued a request for proposal seeking professional engineering services for the Southern Structures Renewal Project.
• In January 2024, PSPC issued a request for proposal also seeking professional engineering services for work to be completed on the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge.

Associated links

• Chaudière Crossing: Southern structures renewal project
• Chaudière Crossing: Union Bridge rehabilitation and Hull Causeway widening
• Macdonald-Cartier Bridge
• Bridges and crossings in the National Capital Region
• Lane reductions and closures on interprovincial bridges in the National Capital Region

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SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada

Contacts: Guillaume Bertrand, Senior communication advisor and press secretary, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, 418-564-9571, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Services and Procurement Canada, 819-420-5501, [email protected]