The federal corporation that maintains and operates the Champlain Bridge has no backup plan if the replacement span isn’t finished on schedule in 2018, CEO Glen Carlin told reporters Tuesday.
Hefty sums are being poured into the upkeep of the Champlain Bridge, even though it will be demolished and replaced by a multi-billion dollar replacement bearing the same name in 2018: $80 million was spent in 2014 and another $90 million will be spent to ensure the safety of the existing structure in 2015.
“There are too many unknown factors for us to be able to say today how long we can keep it going into the future," said Carlin. "Our mandate is to keep it safe and secure and in operation for the next four years."
The corporation, which also offered details on the upkeep of the Jacques Cartier bridge, which it also manages, identified 11 trouble spots on the bridges, three of which are considered high risk due to issues with beams.
Those beams, however, are being monitored closely and are even equipped with special alarms that will trigger is anything goes wrong.
