Ontario Construction News staff writer
Aย watermain project labeled as โintegral infrastructureโ in the City of Barrie will cost an additionalย $1.7 million,ย due to โunforeseen market conditions.โ
That pushes the cost to over $5 million for the installation of a transmission line on Mapleview Drive East from Yonge Street to Royal Jubilee Drive. Council voted, reluctantly, to fund the increase through development charge credits, following a construction agreement between the city and landowner groups.
While the initial staff report projected the total cost of the watermain project at $2.1 million, it jumped in June by $675,000 and then $1.7 million this week.
Bala Araniyasundaran, the city’s engineering director, said there are several reasons for the increase, including the actual design of the watermain which required changes to add โsome trenchless sections.”
Additionally,ย he said the availability of contractors was a factor, prices in the construction market are trending up and estimates prepared by consultants for some of the components were โprobablyโ lower than what they should have been.
In June, the city workedย out aย development charge credit agreement withย the Hewittโs Creek Landowners Group andย the Salem Landowners Group on details of the project. In exchange for building and financing theย project, the landowners receive development charge (DC) credits.
The project was originally planned with road improvements starting in 2023, but landowners have indicated they’d like to see the project startย as soon as possible.
The first phase includes connecting to an existing stub at Sun King Crescent andย Royal Jubilee Drive,ย extendingย westย along Mapleview Drive andย crossing Hewittโs Creek. The second phaseย includes a bend westward from Kneeshaw before crossing the Metrolinx rail line, extending west to Yonge Street, north on Yonge Street, and tying into the Mapleview transmission mainย west of Yonge Street.