Seventy percent of cost coming from MTQ
By Kevin Woodhouse
www.thesuburban.com
At a special council meeting Monday, Sept. 16, Mayor Francis Deroo and council unanimously passed a resolution that would see Exit 41 off highway 40 in Ste. Anne de Bellevue rebuilt as a T section with traffic lights at a estimated cost of $1.5 million with the MTQ picking up eleven fifteenth’s of the cost or 73 per cent of the project that will be done in two stages, the planning and specifications portion and the construction and supervision phase.
Director General Martin Bonhomme outlined the entente and project between the city of Montreal, Ste. Anne de Bellevue and the MTQ, noting that there were three scenarios presented but the T section fit the criteria of being a long term, moderately priced solution that would not require too much maintenance.
While the roundabout option was technically the best choice, it had a $5 million price tag that would incur the city with a substantial loan to pay off. The T section deal provides $1.1 million from the MTQ with the city to come up with the remainder, roughly $400,000 although the cost of demolition of the older structure was not part of the negotiations.
When pressed for details during the question and answer portion of the fairly well attended meeting, costs for demolition were estimated between $150,000 to $600,000. Any unforeseen costs to the project would be handled with a 50-50 partnership between the city and MTQ with Ste. Anne de Bellevue being responsible for maintenance.
The Suburban spoke to MTQ spokesperson Caroline Larose who confirmed the 50-50 cost sharing split. When asked what kind of extra expenses are usually associated with T section construction, Larose said “it is not exactly a routine job but it fairly easy to do and no one wants a cost overrun.”
The projected price tag was an estimation and real costs for the project could mean increases which is why during the planning phase, “the precise cost for the project will be done prior to the beginning of construction,” Bonhomme said.
When asked if the MTQ was paying any additional funds for damaging part of the overpass during work on the highway last year, Bonhomme said that “our negotiations with the MTQ was for a global entente and not a percentage for the damages and another for the work.”
Councillor Paola Hawa asked the mayor if the MTQ’s deal of $1.1 million was a price cap and would the city be left paying the difference but it was noted that the MTQ will pay for 73 percent of the project.
Larose said that the entente with the city is different sue to the MTQ covering the cost incurred when damage was done to the closed exit during work being completed on Highway 40 as “part of the municipal road was dismantled during construction.”
The new exit is slated to begin next June to be completed by September 2014.
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