December 31, 2012

Minister blasts Port Mann Bridge contractor

B.C.'s transportation minister said the contractor that built the multi-billion-dollar Port Mann bridge in British Columbia should have known snow and ice could be a problem on the brand new span.

More than 100 vehicle insurance claims have been filed after chunks of ice pelted down from the bridge’s suspension cables during a snowstorm Wednesday, injuring two people.

Mary Polak said her ministry was aware of that as a potential problem when the contract for the bridge was being put together, but she says what happened yesterday shows the contract’s requirements weren’t met.

The bridge was built by Kiewit-Flatiron General Partnership, but no one from Kiewit was available for comment Thursday.

The Crown agency that operates the bridge will pay the deductibles of drivers whose vehicles were damaged in the incident.

Tolls for travellers crossing the bridge between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. will also be waived.

News from © Canadian Press Enterprises Inc., 2012

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