Bridge project proposed by the firm Buckland and Taylor 1999
member of the consortium Naturam-Genivar, responsible for the opportunity study on the Tadoussac ferry.
Cost of the Bridge proposed by the firm Buckland and Taylor in the study of the consortium Naturam-Genivar in 1999
Élévation des pylônes 1999
Bridge: (total length of 1 740 m with central span of 1 420 m)
253 000 000 $
Tunnel: (1.2 km)
86 000 000 $
Structure: (viaduct of 950 m)
20 663 000 $
Highway: (12.9 km of 4 lanes)
10 761 000 $
Total :
370 674 000 $(1999)
The structure of the proposed suspended bridge includes a superstructure whose central span is 1 420m situated 88m over the highest water level of the river.
In light of new elements further to this study such as:
- The awareness of the safety risks to the motorists all around the Saguenay River, among others by the description of Ferry Fever by coroner Dr. Arnaud Samson;
- The increase in the number of vehicles crossing the river which higher than was foreseen;
- The taking into consideration of the Labrador Road Initiative by which the Newfoundland Government would complete the Trans Labrador Highway between Labrador City and Blanc Sablon at a cost of over 500 M$ allowing the majority of the 28, 000 people of Labrador to have road access to central Canadian cities via highways 389 and 138, thus obliging crossing the Saguenay River at Tadoussac.
- The announcement and preparation of major projects (hydroelectricity, aluminium plants, mines, etc…) in the North Shore Region and Labrador which imply investments of several billion dollars (approximately 26 billion for now) (Investments on the North Shore and Labrador).
The Government of Quebec ordered in November 2001, a complete impact study on the construction of a bridge over the Saguenay River, starting in Tadoussac. This new study was started in the summer of 2002 and will finish in the autumn of 2004 and should contain all the pertinent information in order to start public audiences with the BAPE (Bureau d'Audience Publique en Environnement or the public hearing office for the environment), obligatory prelude for the construction of the bridge. An amount of two million dollars has been allocated to the consortium SNC Lavalin/Genivar for the completion of this study.