Apex bridge completion delayed by 3 weeks
‘Unexpected issues’ with the ground under the bridge require more work, City of Iqaluit says
Construction on the Apex bridge will continue until Nov. 10, according to the City of Iqaluit. Work to replace the bridge began in the summer and was expected to be completed by Oct. 20. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
Construction on Iqaluit’s new double-lane Apex bridge that was expected to be complete by Oct. 20 won’t finish now until Nov. 10.
The delay is necessary after unexpected issues were encountered with the ground underneath the bridge requiring extra work to ensure the foundation is strong, city spokesperson Geoff Byrne said in a City of Iqaluit public service announcement Thursday.
Rain delays have also added time to the project.
The original single-lane bridge was removed in one day on Aug. 10 and construction on the new one started after that.
In June, city council awarded a $2.7-million contract to Tower Arctic to remove and replace the 69-year-old Bailey bridge, which was Second World War surplus and installed in the 1950s.
Bailey bridges are truss bridges that were used extensively during the war because they could be quickly constructed and used to span rivers all across Europe.
The city has asked residents to continue using the bypass road over the causeway to the north of the construction site until the new bridge opens.
The neighborhood appears to have done fine with just Angel Street and no bridge for 3 months.
Kinda makes you wonder why we needed to spend more than $3M of our Hamlet’s limited capital on this bridge.
Cause , it s kool having a bridge.
I imagine that the people who live on Angel St. will be very happy to have their peace once again, after the bridge is done. For the rest of us who live in Apex, we don’t have the entire Apex community driving up and down our streets all day and all night long. EVERYONE has to use Angel St., either coming in or out.
A one lane road that has nearly been washed out by the overflowing river multiple times in the last few years is fine for a few months, but it would be stupid for that to be the only way into and out of Apex. The old bridge was from the 50s. It lasted 70 or so years. It’s not like 3 million dollars is being spent building a new bridge every few years.