The tender for the Bridge 11 replacement project in Wayne has been cancelled due to the significant overbudget bids received from the Request for Tender (RFT) that was published on July 21, 2022. The total budget for this project is $3,200,000, with 75% of it funded by the Province of Alberta, 21% from the Town of Drumheller and 4% from Wheatland County.

“The lowest bid of the four applicants was almost two-and-a-half times the original budget from the Province, Wheatland County and the Town of Drumheller,” explains Dave Brett, P.Eng, Director of Infrastructure Services. “We cannot, in good faith, ask Mayor and Council to supplement an additional $4,000,000 toward this project. Though the bids were competitive, all within 3.0% of each other, we are seeing a significant impact from the effects that COVID-19 has had on the global supply chain along with inflationary factors resulting in escalated costs. It’s incredible.”

The Town’s engineering partner, MPE Engineering LTD., also advised the town to “not award the project at this time,” and noted that the effects of the COVID-19 deliveries and inflation are not “temporary and continue to increase,”.

Of the 11 bridges in Wayne, 3 are owned by the Town of Drumheller. This is a result of a negotiation that occurred in the 1990’s with Alberta Transportation and the Town’s Administration at the time. The Town of Drumheller is responsible for Bridges 9, 10 and 11, which includes all repair and replacement costs.

Administration will continue to investigate additional funding options for Bridge 11. The current weight restriction on Bridge 11 remains in effect.