City pays bonus for speedy work

Winnipeg will offer as much as $100,000 to construction companies that finish city road and bridge projects ahead of schedule this summer.

In an expansion of a pilot project that began in 2008, the city will pay incentives to private firms that finish work early on four construction projects, all located in high-traffic areas.

On the flip side, penalties will be meted out if the work is completed after a pre-approved deadline.

"We're trying to minimize (traffic) congestion as best we can," said Bill Woroby, acting engineering manager for the city's public works department.

"We're only offering incentives on high-traffic routes where it makes sense. We're not doing this on residential streets."

Last year, the city offered incentives to firms working on two construction projects -- but only one finished ahead of schedule.

The contractor responsible for conducting $5.5 million in rehabilitation work on St. Mary's Road earned $65,000 from the city for completing the project 13 days ahead of its 85-working-day schedule, which amounted to $5,000 a day.

The same summer, the company responsible for the $10.2-million first phase of the Fort Garry Bridge project -- the rehabilitation of the westbound Bishop Grandin Boulevard span over the Red River -- was offered $10,000 a day for finishing before Aug. 29, but wound up completing work on schedule.

This year, the contractor working on the second phase of the Fort Garry Bridge rehabilitation, a $7.8-million project, can receive $2,000 a day for every day work is completed ahead of Aug. 29 -- up to a maximum of 20 days, or $40,000.

Finishing the work after Aug. 29 will trigger a $2,000-a-day penalty, with an extra $1,000-a-day charge for each day the work continues beyond Oct. 31.

The city is also offering $3,000-a-day incentives and penalties for early completion of a $2.2-million Century Street rehabilitation near the Richardson International Airport and the construction of a $400,000 roundabout at the intersection of Beaverhill and Lakewood boulevards in Southdale.

Some form of incentives will also be offered to the contractor who winds up conducting a $2.2-million McPhillips Street rehabilitation project in the North End, Woroby added.

In total, the city plans to spend $96.7 million on road, bridge and active-transportation projects this year, up from $85.8 million in 2008.

The recession may allow the city to get more bang for its construction buck because the cost of labour and materials does not appear to be fluctuating as wildly this year as it has in previous construction seasons, Woroby said.

St. James-Brooklands Coun. Scott Fielding, a vocal advocate for trying to accelerate construction projects, said he's pleased to see the city expand its incentive program but does not feel four projects mark enough progress.

"I think it's a step in the right direction, but we have to take this a lot more seriously," Fielding said.

"I think we have to offer more incentives and penalties and I don't accept the explanations for why we are not doing more."

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

Construction preview

Major road and bridge repairs slated for 2009:

Fort Garry bridges

The job: Rehabilitation of eastbound bridge over Red River at Bishop Grandin Boulevard.

Cost: $7.8 million this year to complete $19-million job that started in 2008.

Timeline: The second half of the job is underway right now and should be completed by Aug. 29. The private contractor stands to earn a $2,000-a-day incentive for finishing early, to a maximum of $40,000.

McGillivray Boulevard

The job: Twinning from Waverley Street to Columbia Drive.

Cost: $15.2 million.

Timeline: Work began in 2008 but was not completed. Construction should resume before June and finish in August.

Inkster Boulevard

The job: Twinning from Keewatin Street to Brookside Boulevard.

Cost: $15.2 million

Timeline: TBA. City may also oversee the twinning of the provincial portion of this road, west of Brookside Boulevard.

Bishop Grandin Boulevard

The job: Rehabilitation between Lakewood and Lagimodiere boulevards.

Cost: $4.3 million

Timeline: TBA

Dugald Road

The job: Rehabilitation of eastbound lane near Beghin Avenue.

Cost: $3.9 million

Timeline: TBA.

Notre Dame Avenue

The job: Rehabilitation from Isabel to Princess streets.

Cost: $2.4 million

Timeline: TBA.

Century Street

The job: Rehabilitation from Ellice to Wellington avenues.

Cost: $2.2 million

Timeline: Originally slated for 2008, this project was put off one year to avoid conflict with another project on Ness Avenue. The 45-day construction job is slated to begin after Victoria Day. A $3,000-a-day incentive for early completion will be offered.

McPhillips Street

The job: Widening and rehabilitation between Jarvis and Selkirk avenues.

Cost: $2.2 million.

Timeline: TBA. Incentives for finishing early will be offered.

Lagimodiere Boulevard

The job: Rehabilitation of northbound lane from Bishop Grandin Boulevard to Fermor Avenue.

Cost: $1.2 million

Timeline: TBA

Lakewood/Beaverhill Boulevard

The job: Construction of new roundabout.

Cost: $400,000

Timeline: Start date TBA, but project slated to be done on Sept. 4. A $3,000-a-day incentive for early completion will be offered.

Source: City of Winnipeg

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 11, 2009 B1