LAURIE WEIR
The town of Smiths Falls has received more than $500,000 in provincial Connecting Link funding to rehabilitate two bridges on Beckwith Street.
However, the town won’t need the full amount, council heard at a committee of the whole meeting on Monday, Dec. 16.
“It’s 90 per cent funding,” said Paul McMunn, director of public works and utilities. “The town is on the hook for 10 per cent, and I think that’s really good value.”
McMunn received council’s approval to award the contract for the project’s detailed design and tender preparation for $384,425 to TSI Inc. — the same company that is doing work on the Confederation Bridge project. The work will focus on rehabilitating the pedestrian underpass and the new lock overpass structures on Beckwith Street.
The town applied for Connecting Link funding in November 2023 to support the project and was notified in May it would receive up to $550,638.
McMunn said $65,000 has been carried forward from the 2024 capital budget to the 2025 capital budget to cover the town’s share of costs.
He also noted the Ministry of Transportation would be pleased to hear the town won’t require the full provincial contribution. “They’ll be happy to hear that they’re getting some money back,” he said.
The scope of work will be revised, and the ministry will be notified of the actual funding required in January.
Design work and tender preparation must be completed by the end of March. “Out of this assignment, there will come a detailed design and a tender preparation that we can issue in the future should we receive additional funding,” McMunn said.
He added that the ministry’s support for the design and tender process is a positive sign for future funding. “The fact that they’re supporting the design and tender prep … suggests to me the likelihood of receiving funding in the future is pretty good,” he said.
The rehabilitation project will address soffit and abutment issues to stabilize the structures for an estimated 50 years. During construction, traffic will be reduced to one lane, and the bridges will maintain their current aesthetic, including matching railings and new lighting.
Coun. Chris McGuire asked if the turning lane to Confederation Bridge would be reconfigured to accommodate a pedestrian crossing.
“It’s in the scope of work for the current project, but it might be the right time to discuss it as part of this assignment,” McMunn said.
TSI Inc. is also involved in work on the Confederation Bridge project.
