Delta council on Monday approved a staff recommendation to award a contract valued at almost $651,000 for the Westminster Avenue Bridge Rehabilitation Project.
The small bridge spans over the Chilluckthan Slough and connects Ladner Village to the residential neighbourhood to the east.
An engineering department report notes that the work includes, among other things, bridge deck resurfacing. To provide a safe working zone for the construction crew and facilitate timely progression of the bridge deck resurfacing, an approximately two-week temporary closure of the bridge will be required.
A detour route via River Road and Ladner Trunk Road will be established and changeable message boards will be provided to advise residents of the upcoming construction works and road closure, the report notes.
A notice to residents, businesses and emergency services will be issued after the contractor provides a detailed construction schedule.
Council last summer awarded a contract valued at $117,500 for an engineering consultant to undertake detailed design and construction management for the rehabilitation.
The engineering department noted the bridge has been in service for approximately 65 years and no major rehabilitation has been performed on the structure.
Bridge rehabilitation measures are required to address structural deficiencies and safety concerns identified during an inspection.
In recent years, Delta installed gates along the Chillukthan Slough that control the water flow during the irrigation season, the engineering department noted, adding the change in hydraulic flow and speed may have further contributed to the deterioration of the bridge.
The city began looking at constructing a new Westminster Avenue Bridge in 2016 but that project was put on hold.
