City of Kamloops looking for contractors to rehabilitate Overlanders Bridge this summer

KAMLOOPS — The City of Kamloops is looking for prospective contractors as it plans to move ahead with rehabilitating the Overlanders Bridge for the first time in a decade.

Interested parties are being asked to submit their bids by this Wednesday, May 14, with a successful proponent expected to be chosen and a contract awarded by June.

The city hopes work can begin by June 16 with substantial completion by Oct. 10 this year, just ahead of the Thanksgiving long weekend.

“This project involves the removal and reinstatement of asphalt and concrete at the abutment and expansion joint locations on the Overlanders Bridge deck,” the city said in a Request for Proposals (RFP) document that was issued in early April.

“This will also include the removal of existing construction joints and replacement with asphaltic plug joints. Additionally to the deck work, the separated pedestrian path textured surface will be removed and replaced.”

The city has retained Stantec to be part of the project evaluation team for the RFP process, adding proposals that include the company may be disqualified “due to the potential for conflict of interest and unfair advantage.”

Opened in 1961, the Overlanders Bridge spans the Thompson River in Kamloops and connects Fortune Drive and Tranquille Road in the north with Victoria Street West in the south. It was most recently rehabilitated in 2015, following reports of significant wear and tear on both the bridge deck and the west sidewalk.

This latest rehabilitation work comes following an increase in ruts in the four driving lanes on the bridge.

“The Overlanders Bridge is a critical piece of infrastructure in Kamloops serving as the main arterial route between the north and south shores of the City,” the city RFP document said.

“Minimizing public impacts will be a high priority when executing the scope of this project.”

Ruts and wear and tear on the Overlanders Bridge deck in Kamloops. (Image Credit: Curtis Goodrum/CFJC Today)

What’s not clear at this time is if the plan accounts for the loss of the Red Bridge, which was destroyed by fire in September last year. The lack of that river crossing has led to an increase in traffic primarily on Highway 5, but also on the Overlanders Bridge to some extent.

At this time, the budget, cost and source of funding for the entire rehabilitation project have not been released, with interested proponents asked to provide their prices as part of the bids.

CFJC Today has reached out to the City of Kamloops for more information about this project but did not hear back by deadline.