EDITORIAL – There’s a cheaper, faster, better way to replace the Red Bridge

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

THERE’S AN EASY SOLUTION to the Red Bridge problem, if only the provincial government would consider it.

The latest news on building a replacement for the bridge is, basically, almost no news at all. A year after it was destroyed by fire, Premier David Eby says the Province is committed to constructing a new span in its place.

Urban Systems has been awarded a contract to help conduct the planning and design. A list of “preferred options” for design will be ready next spring. Which means a new bridge is at least a couple of years away, probably more. The delay is a bit ridiculous.

As reported here on ArmchairMayor.ca almost exactly a year ago, there’s a quick, economical option that would include a beautiful heritage-style design to modern standards. As I wrote then, it would be stronger, wider and better than the old one.

READ ALSO: ROTHENBURGER – Red Bridge could rise from the ashes, literally – here’s how

A company called Timber Restoration Services could build it using mass timber, an engineered wood construction material that is fire resistant and would last at least as long as steel and concrete.

“We could actually build it to an exact replica, but a refined replica to meet modern highway requirements,” company rep Randy Ludwar told me last year. “Whatever they’re going to build in steel and concrete we can build in wood and mass timber.”

In addition to its several construction advantages, mass timber is up to 25 per cent cheaper than traditional steel and concrete, and faster to build.

There are other companies doing the same kind of construction in B.C. and, of course, a proper bidding process must be followed. Since the provincial government is used to steel and concrete bridge construction, it no doubt needs to be lobbied hard to consider mass timber but it’s not entirely new to them. Officially, the government supports furthering development of the mass timber industry.

So where is that support? Kamloops City council and Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc are supposed to have input into planning for the new bridge but so far they’ve been silent on the mass timber option. Time they got off their backsides and started talking it up.

Mel Rothenburger is a former regular contributor to CFJC-TV and CBC radio, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Webster Foundation Commentator of the Year finalist. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.