Replacement of the R.W. Bruhn Bridge has moved to the next phase as the Province invites potential builders to pre-qualify to participate in the bridge-replacement project to improve safety and efficiency on Highway 1 in the Shuswap region.

The project will improve 2.5 kilometres of Highway 1, including four-laning of 1.9 kilometres of highway, replacing the aging R.W. Bruhn Bridge with a four-lane structure and upgrading intersections between Old Sicamous Road and Silver Sands Road.

The Province is working in partnership with Splatsin First Nation to develop the project design, noting the significance of the project area to the Nation and the need to minimize environmental impacts.

When the project is complete, the intersection at Old Spallumcheen Road will be closed on Highway 1. Local traffic will be rerouted under the bridge with right-in/right-out access to Highway 1 at Old Sicamous Road.

The project includes a multi-use path to increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists travelling across the Sicamous narrows.

Prequalified contractors will be announced in February 2024, followed by an invitation for them to bid on the construction tender.

The total project cost is estimated at $224 million. This includes as much as $91 million from the Government of Canada under the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component of the New Building Canada Fund. The replacement of the Bruhn bridge is a key component of the Highway 1 Four-Laning Project. 

For further information about the pre-qualification process, visit: https://bcbid.gov.bc.ca/page.aspx/en/bpm/process_manage_extranet/186394