Yukon gov't hits pause on Nisutlin Bay Bridge project over soil concerns
The Nisutlin Bay Bridge, which crosses Teslin Lake, is a 483-metre replacement for an existing bridge that's more than 70 years old and nearing the end of its service life.
Construction on the $160-million project began in 2021 and was supposed to be finished next year.
But on Wednesday, Highways and Public Works Minister Nils Clarke said engineers found "concerns regarding soil conditions on the north side of the new bridge."
"As a precaution, work in that area has been paused to allow for a thorough investigation," Clarke said in a statement. "Geotechnical experts have been brought in and are working closely with our engineering team to assess the issue and determine the best path forward."
Clarke's statement did not specify what the problem is or how long it would take to fix, though he conceded "timelines might be impacted." Clarke was not immediately available for comment.
The existing bridge remains open to traffic.
Yukon Party MLA Scott Kent accused the Liberals of mishandling the project.
"What we're looking for from the government is to provide some more detail for Yukoners on how much fixing this issue is going to cost, what the new timelines are, and then why it happened when we're so close to what was supposed to be the completion of the bridge," he said.
It's not the first time the party has raised complaints about the new bridge. Kent said the government failed to obtain permits from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, leading to a $24-million change order.
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