Building a new pedestrian bridge between Capstone and Bower Ponds would cost $40 to $50 million and could require the deferral of a future capital project, states a report to Red Deer city council.
Even designing a project of this scope across the Red Deer River would cost $1 million, according to the report by the city’s acting engineering services manager Russ Watts.
He is, therefore, recommending the matter be postponed for future discussion during the 2025-25 capital budget process when changes to the city’s 10-year capital budget could be contemplated.
“Given the magnitude of the project, it should be considered in the broader context of the Long-Term Financial Plan to determine the full impact to The City’s budgets, and what, if any, other projects would need to be deferred at the expense of the bridge,” states Watts’s report.
Council is expected to talk about his recommendation and the bridge’s prospects at Monday’s council meeting.
During the last capital budget process in December, Coun. Victor Doerksen was very interested in getting cost details for the construction of a new direct pedestrian connection between Capstone with Bower Ponds.
If a new bridge is built at that spot, then developers will come to Capstone, predicted the impassioned councillor.
Doerksen asked administration what it would take to advance the bridge project and put it in the 2025-32 Capital Plan? A new bridge will spur long-awaited residential-commercial development, “I can guarantee it,” stated Doerksen, who felt there are philanthropists in Red Deer who could contribute funds to such a legacy project.
Having a pedestrian crossing at this spot has been contemplated by the city since 2012, when a previous estimate set the total cost at $20 million.
Watts’s latest estimates were based on bills for similar structures, including a recent $41 million Edmonton bridge over the North Saskatchewan River. That “non-iconic” bridge was a straight-forward project compared to what would be needed in Red Deer, states his report.
Because of the layout and topography of Capstone and Bower Ponds, he anticipated a curved bridge of 1,375 square meters would be needed. The Red Deer River is wider at this spot than at the location of the old CPR pedestrian bridge.
Watts estimated total project cost at $47 million — but he cautioned that predicting future construction costs is dicey, noting the price of steel alone has doubled since 2020.
He recommended the Long-Term Financial Plan be reviewed before any further consideration of the bridge project.
lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com
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