Summary#
Montréal city council awarded a contract to Construction N.R.C. inc. for traffic-signal and street work at the intersection of boulevards Alfred-Nobel and Hymus, in the borough of Saint-Laurent. The decision authorizes a total of $1,092,852.55, taxes included. City staff say the work is meant to upgrade the signals and complete changes linked to the REM construction.
- The city awarded the contract to the lowest compliant bidder, Construction N.R.C. inc., for $780,608.97, taxes included.
- The council also authorized $156,121.79 for contingencies and $156,121.79 for other project costs, both taxes included.
- The work includes changes to the intersection’s layout, upgraded traffic-signal equipment, pedestrian countdown signals, and curb ramps with tactile warning surfaces.
What it means for you#
- People walking, cycling, driving or using transit: The intersection’s layout and signals will change. The work includes pedestrian countdown signals and changes to the median and curb ramps. The decision does not guarantee a particular safety or travel outcome.
- Saint-Laurent residents and other road users: Construction N.R.C. inc. will carry out the work. The decision does not give a construction schedule.
- Taxpayers: The city has authorized the project spending. The decision does not identify its funding source.
Money#
The council authorized up to $1,092,852.55, taxes included, for the contract and related project budgets.
- The contract itself is $780,608.97. The contingencies and other project costs are $156,121.79 each.
- City staff’s report says the lowest compliant bid was 13.13% below the city’s latest estimate. Staff also say contracting separately was less costly than assigning the work to CDPQ Infra as part of REM-related work; the materials give no comparison amount.
What is unclear#
- The materials do not give the construction start or finish dates.
- They do not say how much of the contingency or other-cost budgets will actually be spent, or what happens to any unused amount.
- The council’s resolution and the decision title give a total of $1,092,852.55. The staff report’s bid-results table lists $1,092,852.56 for the same total.
Case for#
- City staff say doing the work through a separate contract allows the city to upgrade the traffic signals while completing intersection changes needed after REM construction.
- Staff say the chosen bid is below the city’s estimate, and that this approach costs less than having CDPQ Infra do the work as part of the REM project.
- The planned changes include pedestrian countdown signals and accessible curb-ramp features.
Case against#
- The decision authorizes contingency and other-cost budgets equal to 40% of the base contract price. The materials do not say how much of these amounts will be used or how unused funds will be handled.
- The city’s claim that the separate contract costs less than the CDPQ Infra option is not accompanied by a figure for that alternative, so the comparison cannot be checked from these materials.