City looking into potential sites and costs of third bridge

By Lethbridge Herald on December 14, 2021.

Herald file photo Motorists make their way to and from the Whoop-Up Drive bridge deck during an afternoon commute.

Al Beeber – Lethbridge Herald

Lethridge city council has unanimously passed a resolution by acting mayor Rajko Dodic calling on City administration to identify potential sites for a third bridge crossing the Oldman River and to assess approximate costs.

A resolution Dodic made at council on Tuesday said there has been significant growth on the city’s westside which may mitigate against the proposed Chinook Trail crossing – that was confirmed as a third site in 2009 – as being the optimum choice for a third crossing at this point in time. The resolution also states that there is an increased likelihood of financial support from other orders of government if a third crossing was considered further south of the present proposed location.

On Tuesday, Dodic asked council to approve a resolution that administration report on proposed sites and the anticipated costs of a third crossing no later than September of 2022.

The acting mayor also wants to know the implications for residential taxes over a 10-year period if a bridge is built on three projected costs of construction – $200 million, $250 million and $300 million. He’s asked that a response be provided to city council at its January 18 meeting.

The motion was discussed after city council started an hour later due to an in camera meeting that went late.

There was lengthy debate on the motion, and two amendments proposed by deputy mayor Belinda Crowson and councillor Jeff Carlson were both defeated.

Crowson suggested the proposal would best be addressed through the Civic Works Standing Policy Committee which could then bring its report back to council in its entirety, calling it a holistic approach. But she said she would support the original motion as presented.