TAMRMS#: B06
9.1
REQUEST FOR DECISION
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Children’s Bridge - Request for Additional Funds
Presented by: Miranda Rowda, Manager, Capital Projects Office, Engineering Services & Justin VanDorp, Senior Project Manager, Capital Projects Office, Engineering Services
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RECOMMENDED MOTION(S)
recommendation
That the budget for Municipal Repair Maintain Replace (RMR) capital project 426413, Bridge Program (Charter ENGS - 042) be increased as outlined in the Confidential Administrative Report attached to the May 19, 2026 agenda report entitled “Children’s Bridge - Request for Additional Funds”, to be funded from the Capital Reserve.
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SUMMARY
This report provides an update on the Children’s Bridge Rehabilitation project and requests support for additional funding to complete the project based on the originally intended repair work and updated consideration for lead in the paint coating of the steel members of the bridge.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
On June 3, 2025, Council passed the following motion:
PM-25-005
• That the 2026-2035 Municipal RMR Capital plan provided as an attachment to the June 3, 2025, agenda report, be approved.
• That the 2026 Municipal Capital Budget of 27 projects be funded in the amount of $37,978,100. (Capital Charter ENGS-042 Bridge Program was approved in the amount of $627,500 in this Plan.)
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Children’s Bridge is an iconic structure for the City of St. Albert. It is a two-span cable-stayed pedestrian bridge crossing the Sturgeon River, constructed in 1979. The bridge is a part of the City’s Red Willow Trail System, located along a key pedestrian corridor in the central portion of the park system adjacent to the downtown core.
Network bridge condition assessments performed in 2019 identified the Children’s Bridge as a candidate for RMR work. In 2025, the City retained an engineering consultant to undertake updated inspection, complete design, and construction management services for the rehabilitation of the Children’s Bridge.
The rehabilitation scope includes the following:
• Replace existing deck wearing surface, existing handrails, and expansion joint seals
• Complete concrete repairs at various locations on the bridge
• Replace approach roof slabs and install new drainage system at abutments
• Install additional structural steel bracing to accommodate new handrail connection
• Complete miscellaneous repairs on the cable connections
• Install integrated handrail lighting (funded through a separate charter and not included in cost estimates below)
• Construct a new Founder’s Walk pedestrian node at the north end of bridge to tie into the adjacent pathways (funded through a separate charter and not included in cost estimates below)
The project is currently in the design phase. Early in design, lead testing was completed on and around the bridge. The testing confirmed that lead is present in the paint coatings on the existing steel members. This testing also confirmed that lead concentrations within the vicinity of the bridge are within environmental standards, and as such, there is no remediation required. However, the presence of lead on the structure significantly affects cost, schedule, and risk of the rehabilitation work because specialized measures are required to protect workers and the environment when disturbing these areas. These protection measures and associated work methods were not captured within the original scope or in the cost estimates used to develop the original RMR budget request.
This recommended rehabilitation strategy does not fully address the aesthetics of the existing bridge. The bridge structure currently exhibits some color variation in the existing coating. Re-coating of the bridge structure was considered, but has not been included in the recommended scope of work due to limited benefit at this time, and budget constraints. Coating work is proposed to be limited to just areas that are disturbed through the rehabilitation work.
Of the recommended rehabilitation scope, the following activities will disturb the lead paint coating:
• Replace existing deck wearing surface
• Replace expansion joint seals
• Replace existing handrail and install integrated lighting
Based on high level life-cycle estimates, provision should be made for replacement of the entire structure in 2065.
If council approves proceeding, the design will be finalized, and the project will move forward to procurement and award of a construction contract.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
N/A
IMPACTS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
If approved, additional money would be funded from the Capital Reserve, which has sufficient funds. While initial funding would be from the Capital Reserve, Administration would look for other funding opportunities. Funding this project will reduce the amount of capital dollars available for future prioritized capital projects as well as emergent capital items.
Compliance & Legal:
If approved, the City can continue with the planned bridge rehabilitation without needing to defer project scope.
Program or Service:
If approved, a full bridge closure will be required to implement the proposed rehabilitation measures. Scheduling of the work will be planned to ensure coordination with other projects in the Downtown area and that the bridge remains open during the Children’s Festival.
Organizational:
If approved, it is anticipated that completion of this project will result in reduced maintenance from the City’s Public Operations. This would eliminate maintenance that has typically been required on the existing deck wearing surface and wood handrails.
Risks
A contingency allowance of 25 percent has been incorporated into the budget request to mitigate potential risks related to project cost uncertainty.
Further, as the lead coating will remain in place, there is a risk of degradation over time, which may be 15-20 years, based on estimates from the engineering consultant team. As the lead coating degrades, it would pose an increased risk to the public and the environment and will require additional monitoring and potential future intervention to remove and/or remediate.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
N/A
Initiative aligned with Strategic Plan:
Not Applicable
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
N/A
IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The project team has reviewed options to both manage the budget of this project and to allow completion of the originally planned rehabilitation scope. The options considered and the opinions of probable costs include:
ALTERNATIVE 1: Major rehabilitation and re-coating of steel members
• This option includes the same rehabilitation scope as the recommended option, and adds provision for encapsulating the existing lead coating by re-coating the tower and/or steel girders. Removal of the existing coating is not included in this alternative.
• The lower estimate includes re-coating of the tower only; the higher estimate includes re-coating of the tower and girder system.
• Based on high level life-cycle estimates, provision should be made for replacement of the entire structure in 2065 for Alternative 1.
• This option exceeds original scope of RMR work related to actions responding to the condition assessments; however, it addresses the consideration of aesthetics of the bridge structure to expand upon the original recommendation’s delivery of recoating the structure in its entirety.
Financial:
If approved, additional funds would be funded from the Capital Reserve, which has sufficient funds. While initial funding would be from the Capital Reserve, Administration would look for other funding opportunities. Funding this project will reduce the amount of capital dollars available for future prioritized capital projects as well as emergent capital items.
Compliance & Legal:
None at this time
Program or Service:
A full bridge closure will be required to implement the rehabilitation measures for this alternative. Scheduling of the work will be planned to ensure coordination with other projects in the Downtown area and that the bridge remains open during the Children’s Festival.
Organizational:
If approved, it is anticipated that completion of this project will result in reduced maintenance from the City’s Public Operations. This would eliminate maintenance that has typically been required on the existing deck wearing surface and wood handrails.
Risks
While the existing lead paint coating is currently in good condition, there remains a risk of the coating deteriorating over time. This risk is decreased by encapsulating the existing lead coating with new paint. Additional monitoring would be recommended as the coating approaches the end of its life.
Additional time would be required to complete this work in construction scheduling. It is estimated that ~ 10 weeks in addition to the schedule from the recommendation would be required to complete the encapsulation scope.
ALTERNATIVE 2: Major rehabilitation and complete removal and re-coating of steel members
• This option involves the same rehabilitation scope as the recommended option, with the addition of complete removal of the existing lead-based coating and re-coating of all steel members.
• Based on high level life-cycle estimates, provision should be made for replacement of the entire structure in 2065 for Alternative 2.
• This option exceeds original scope of RMR work related to actions responding to the condition assessments; however, it addresses the consideration of aesthetics of the bridge structure to expand upon the original recommendation’s delivery of recoating the structure in its entirety.
Financial:
If approved, additional funding would be funded from the Capital Reserve, which has sufficient funds. While initial funding would be from the Capital Reserve, Administration would look for other funding opportunities. Funding this project will reduce the amount of capital dollars available for future prioritized capital projects as well as emergent capital items.
If Alternative 2 is considered, it is recommended to pause and direct Administration to investigate the financial feasibility and total cost of ownership for a complete bridge replacement.
Compliance & Legal:
None at this time.
Program or Service:
A full bridge closure will be required to implement the rehabilitation measures for this alternative. Scheduling of the work will be planned to ensure coordination with other projects in the Downtown area and that the bridge remains open during the Children’s Festival
Organizational:
If approved, it is anticipated that completion of this project will result in reduced maintenance from the City’s Public Operations. This would eliminate maintenance that has typically been required on the existing deck wearing surface and wood handrails.
Risks
Additional time would be required to complete this work in construction scheduling. It is estimated that ~ 14 weeks in addition to the schedule from the recommendation would be required to complete the encapsulation scope.
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Report Date: May 19, 2026
Author(s): Justin VanDorp, Miranda Rowda
Department: Engineering
Department Director: Jordan Betteridge (Acting)
Managing Director: Adryan Slaght
Chief Administrative Officer: William Fletcher