Infracon, Eiffage win $104.6M bridge contract tied to B.C.’s Site C dam project
By David Kennedy
Bridges Roads
A rendering of the new bridge over Halfway River, not far from the new Site C dam. PHOTO: BC Hydro/YouTube
The B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has awarded a major bridge and highway realignment project to a joint venture led by French contractor Eiffage and Vancouver-based Infracon.
The $104.6 million contract covers a new bridge on Highway 29 over Halfway River near Attachie, B.C. — several dozen kilometres west of Fort St. John. The Eiffage-Infracon Halfway River Joint Venture will be responsible for the construction of a new one-kilometre bridge about 500 metres from the current structure and building a new two-lane 3.7-kilometre connection.
Halfway River flows into the Peace River near Attachie and the work is tied to the multibillion-dollar Site C dam project that’s currently under construction just downstream. Once the dam is complete, filling the reservoir will lead the Peace River to swell to approximately two to three times its current size, flooding parts of Hwy. 29’s route.
The new contract is one aspect of the planned mitigation effort. Another 30 kilometres of highway and four additional bridge will also need to be replaced.
Construction on the Halfway River bridge project and related highway realignment are scheduled to get underway this winter. Work is expected to run until fall 2022.
