Abstract Manager

Canada's wide-ranging landscape is one of the country's greatest assets. Yet our expansive geography also means the impacts of climate change can look vastly different from region to region, making it difficult for each province and territory to develop resilient infrastructure that addresses their local challenges. British Columbia is experiencing a record number of forest fires and flooding. Ontario was recently awarded the moniker of Canada's Tornado Capital, and Atlantic Canada is seeing a surge in both the frequency and severity of high winds, flooding and coastal surges.

New Brunswick is currently focused on ensuring its infrastructure can withstand future natural disasters. A bridge originally constructed in 1963 and serving as a vital link for the region of Cap-Acadie and its tourism sector, was closed indefinitely in September 2019 due to structural damage inflicted by Hurricane Dorian.

The New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (NBDTI) immediately began developing a strategy to address the loss of the bridge. By November 2019, the provincial government secured funding through the Disaster Financial Assistance Program (DFAP), a Federal-Provincial cost-sharing program, to create both temporary and long-term solutions for the community.

NBDTI first installed a temporary modular bridge in March 2020 to maintain traffic flow. It then chose to leverage a Design-Build project delivery model to develop an innovative and cost effective solution that can fulfill a 100-year asset lifespan, while also facing climate change uncertainty.

Join Jordan Stephens, Acting Director, Emergency Management at NBDTI, and Alain Grégoire, Vice President of Infrastructure Services at Colliers Project Leaders for a case study presentation on The Kouchibouguac River Bridge No. 1. Design-Build Project.

During the session, Jordan and Alain will dive into the processes and decisions that led to NBDTI establishing its approach to replacing this critical piece of community infrastructure. Discussion points will include:

• How a critical options analysis shaped the development’s direction
• Key tools and considerations that influenced the project design and timeline
• The benefits of the Design-Build delivery model
• The evaluation and deployment of innovative design practices that address future climate concerns, while also improving structural integrity
• How the team ensured the new bridge’s footprint did not exceed that of its predecessor
• The local, federal, and First Nations engagement and collaboration process employed by the project team to ensure alignment of design and construction best practices