Council has awarded the contract for the 2016 inspection of bridges and culverts in the township to Listowel-based GM BluePlan Engineering.
The company submitted the bid for the project at $17,395. Two other bids, coming in between $20,000 and $22,000 were received. The township had budgeted up to $25,000 for the project in 2016.
In a report at the July 12 council meeting, public works director Jamie Morgan explained detailed inspections of all structures and their components are to be conducted in accordance with the provincial requirements every two years by a professional engineer or a technician with bridge inspection experience working under the direction of a professional engineer.
Additionally, bridge inspectors must complete the Ministry of Transportation bridge inspection course.
The inspection report will supply the township with the condition and physical data of each structural element. The final report is due Sept. 1, to allow sufficient time for the updating of the township’s Asset Management Plan.
During discussion, Mayor Neil Driscoll expressed disappointment the project couldn’t be handled by township staff.
Morgan noted a township employee who had completed the MTO bridge inspection course could conduct the inspections, but would still need to do so under the supervision of a qualified engineer.
“The importance of these documents is to keep our asset management plan up to date … this is all part of it,” Morgan noted.
Councillor Michael Martin said, “We’ve had some concerns about consulting fees but until the legislation changes I’m not sure we have much choice.”
