KINGSTON -- Despite COVID-19, officials say a new bridge being built over the Cataraqui River in Kingston is on schedule.
Once completed, the "Third Crossing" Bridge will connect Gore Road in the city’s east end to the foot of John Counter Boulevard.
The bridge is the largest infrastructure project the City of Kingston has ever undertaken and is being funded by all three levels of government, with a total budget of $180 million.
Construction company Kiewit is leading the construction of the project.
On Thursday, company project manager John Sheer confirmed that the bridge is currently set to be completed on time, in late 2022.
“We’ve been able to keep our critical path during this time,” explained Sheer.
Following the announcement of the pandemic, Sheer said protocols were quickly put in place to continue work for the approximately 50 local construction workers on site each day.
Those included rules to stay physically distant, and wear masks when that cannot be avoided. Sheer says there are also rules for transporting workers in vehicles, ensuring there aren’t too many people inside.
“Our workforce has really embraced those protocols and made safety at the forefront of their mind. Without them we wouldn’t have been able to maintain our schedule over the past five months,” said Sheer.
“There’s a lot of expensive equipment on site here, so maintaining the schedule is very important.”
A temporary trestle and rock causeway has been constructed over those months, it allows people and machinery to be brought over the waterway to construct the permanent bridge, while also allowing for boats and wildlife to move through the river.
Kiewit says it took 8,000 trucks to create the temporary causeway.
First steps have begun on the permeant bridge, drilling piers into the ground.
The bridge will require 21 in-water piers, which will support the bridge. Of the 1.6 metres in diameter, which once drilled down into the water will be filled with concrete.
