Title
Funding Request - BF 07409 (RR32, north of Duffield)
Proposed Motion
That Council approve $150,000 to complete design work for BF 07409, funded from Long Term Sustainability Restricted Surplus.
Body
Administration Recommendation
Administration supports the motion. BF 07409 is currently weight restricted to 15 tonnes, which creates a challenge for efficient response times for Emergency Services. Funding approval for design will provide opportunity for Administration to advance this project forward in 2026.
Purpose
Approval by Council will provide Administration with funding and direction to advance the design portion of BF 07409 as soon as possible.
Summary
As part of annual, scheduled work activities, Administration completed bridge inspections as per the Province's Bridge Inspection and Maintenance (BIM) program. During a December 2024 inspection of Bridge File 07409, issues were identified that led to a recommendation to place a weight restriction on the bridge. The weight restriction helps to ensure the bridge does not continue to degrade at a rapid pace and helps defer more significant impacts, such as full closure of the bridge. Average lifespan for these types of structure is 40-50 years. This bridge is 58 years old, which is well beyond its anticipated lifecycle. Administration has reported it as a Low Advisory Rating in the BIM program, with an average rating of poor to very poor on its substructure.
At the time of preparing the 2026-2029 Capital Infrastructure Program, this bridge was not identified as a priority over other bridge projects. Since preparing and submitting the document for final revisions and approval by Council, we have implemented the weight restriction and held meetings within Administration (Engineering and Emergency Services). The priority of this project has increased with additional awareness of the impact on service delivery and response times for our Emergency Response team. It is recommended that we advance this project as soon as possible and complete the replacement of the bridge with the earliest possible timeline. Approval of funding at this time allows Administration to start design immediately and potentially complete the bridge replacement in the summer/fall of 2026, subject to any environmental approvals and land acquisition requirements.
The design and construction portion of this project has been submitted to the Province for inclusion in the Strategic Transportation and Infrastructure Program (STIP). The 2025 deadline for submissions was November 30, 2025. Our submission included a funding request for the design ($150,000) and for construction ($1,550,000) for a total of $1,700,000. Of note, the program typically only funds future expenditures and there is risk by advancing at this time that some or all of the design portion of the work will not be eligible for cost sharing within the STIP program. The funding cost share is 75% Province and 25% Municipal. This risk is at most $112,500 of missed grant opportunity. We do have the option of waiting for final approval of STIP grant awards, however we will not likely be informed of a successful application until May/June 2026, and that will not provide sufficient time to complete design and construction by end of 2026.
Strategic Plan/Policy/Legal/Staff Implications:
Pillar A - Complete Communities - Goal 3 - To ensure that County infrastructure meets the needs of residents, businesses, and industry.
Financial Impact:
Cost: $150,000
Source of Funding: Long Term Sustainability Restricted Surplus