Meaford’s Committee of the Whole is recommending council approve a $172,000 tender for the replacement of a bridge structure on Sideroad 24.
During a meeting on July 11, a report was brought forward by CAO Rob Armstrong recommending approving the 2023 expenditure of $58,000 to help fund the services awarded to R.J. Burnside and Associates.
The report says this follows a May 30 council meeting where staff were requested they hold a meeting with the owners of the properties accessed by the bridge structure before deciding on awarding a tender for engineering services.
On June 16, the report says Armstrong met with Ken Prosje and David Rutherford to talk potential alternatives for a full municipal bridge design and reconstruction.
The report adds there was also thorough discussion on whether the structure could be public or if a structure could be established as a private structure on Prosje’ property.
Ultimately, Prosje was not interested in a replacement structure being privately owned, and having an alternate access point at the rear of other locations on the property was not ideal. The currently structure also barely accommodates farm machinery, therefore having a smaller structure would not be able to facilitate the machinery use.
The report says the design of the bridge must still be able to maintain access to the properties of the owners and will also consider other locations to the north or south of the existing bridge which could be less expensive.
Coun. Paul Vickers says he hopes engineers and staff try to find different ways to keep the cost down.
“We have a responsibility to keep this bridge open, but I hope we try and look for innovative ideas on how to do it since it has such a low car count,” says Vickers.
Director of Infrastructure Services Jessica Wiley says, “we are building a 75-year structure, so we are not just necessarily planning for what might fit now, it’s what might fit in how ever many years from now.”
