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Updates: Polak calls ice bomb bridge debacle "absolutely unacceptable"
COQUITLAM/CKNW (AM980)
CKNW News Staff | Email news tips to nwnews@cknw.com
12/20/2012

One day after chunks of ice crashed down on more than 100 vehicles on the Port Mann bridge, the minister responsible now has something to say about it.


"Absolutely unacceptable".


Two words Mary Polak used repeatedly during  a lengthy news conference near the bridge.


And the  Transportation Minister is blaming contractor Kiewit Flatiron, saying it,  and not taxpayers,will pay for a fix.

"I can't speak to what interactions may have taken place between contractors and between those who do the actual on the ground work what I can speak to is  that we were alive to this as a potential problem and therefore we  specified within the contract what our requirements were. Clearly what we saw yesterday shows that we did not meet those requirements."

The partnership that built the new Port Mann bridge has now issued a statement about yesterday's ice-fall incident.


The statement from Kiewit-Flatiron General Partnership says ".....we're very concerned about the recent weather issues, and the safety of the travelling public is of utmost importance."


It says with the recent severe weather conditions, it's evident there is an issue that needs to be closely reviewed and addressed, and it's working closely with stakeholders to identify and implement a solution as quickly as possible.

 


 


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  • 17
  1. commonsense posted on 12/20/2012 03:26 PM
    Talk is cheap. We'll know for sure when it comes down to it. I hope Polak and team stick to their words.

    Perhaps this is why Flatiron isn't saying anything.
  2. taxed to death posted on 12/20/2012 04:27 PM
    So lets clarify....Pollack says its unacceptable....ok fine...and at any point during the construction/design phase was the government made aware of the design implemented by Kiewit ? Was the Engineering company that designed the structure made aware of this implementation? Im sure there must be a plethora of emails back and forth pertaining to this exact issues....did the government / engineering company ever object? or, did they just say hmmm ok its gonna gost what $$$$$$$??? Well screw it lest just stick to the lower cost it wont be a problem.... And since when does a constructrion company do design work? Usually its the other way around the const. company does what the design company puts on paper....

    Its a sham....another BC Rail cover up is about to unfold...it comes down to one thing again ....MONEY OVER SAFETY


    Let the BC Liberal/Mary Polak smoke and mirror show beging.....deny deny deny just what Snookie taught her.... A 3.3 billion dollar unsafe bridge, a new 500 million dollar roof that leaks and wont open completely...Am I missing anything... get your wallets out
  3. joes_2868 posted on 12/20/2012 04:50 PM
    Taxed to death: My or my, more propaganda. The roof didnot cost $500 million. The total structure was gutted completely and the roof is in the total cost which is a majority of the total. Please keep your facts more correct or do your homework. It only takes a little time to do research before blowing off gaskets. THE READERS WERE NOT BORN YESTERDAY.
    1. taxed to death posted on 12/20/2012 06:05 PM
      @joes_2868 Back yo your Myan calender dufus..my facts are bang on
    2. speakup posted on 12/21/2012 12:49 PM
      @joes_2868 regardless - the ROOF IS A JOKE!!
      and a WASTE of MONEY $10 OR $500 MILLION

      You have missed the point AGAIN
  4. joes_2868 posted on 12/20/2012 04:55 PM
    Taxpayers might be out of pocket for the deductibles at the beginning of the claims but will be re-imbursed when everything gets straightened out. Remember the highway from Duncan to Lake Cowichan that was in the news. The road was seal coated but the surface didnot stick and all the rocks ended up breaking windshields and damaging paint jobs. Taxpayers didnot have to pay a dime. The contractor's insurance picked up all of the damage costs. Only five thousand claims.
    This ice thing is not going to be a on going problem. You get some bad winter days and there is nothing you can do about it. People just have to get out of bed in the morning and enjoy their life.
    1. BY posted on 12/20/2012 05:10 PM
      @joes_2868 Hey Joey. Don't you think that Mary looks like a deer stuck in the head lights of an on coming car? Bet she wishes right now that when snookums said, hey Mary. Do you want some extra money. I can make you The minister of Transportation. No no no. It doesn't matter that you don't know a bridge from the hole in your a$$. You will get a much bigger pension. And why arn't they talking to Kevin "HAIRBOY" Falcon. He was pretending at the time that he knew something about bridges/highways/roads at the time this goofy thing was ok'd to spend our money on. And if we ever get to talk to him on this cartoon maybe we can ask a few questions on the health care system that he screwed up.

      Just a thought.

      Can't wait for your reply.
    2. Ken280 posted on 12/20/2012 05:14 PM
      @joes_2868 Move to Go and collect $200 Thumper! Joe and the deflection troubleshooters for his beloved CC.you must be a CKNW worker like maybe the Janitor sweeping crap under the rug. Thumper Joe! the little grouse in heat over heels for CC. The huge German Ferries do not work, the roof leaks and does not open, now the Bridge wants to kill people! heh! heh! now what Joe? we must pay and pay for crap that does not work,heh heh! God! The NDP did not do this badly I would say!heh heh! Go NDP Go!!!!!!!!!!!!
  5. HUGH F posted on 12/20/2012 05:26 PM
    Absolutely unacceptable? I find the same thing about the Liberals.
  6. AldinaI posted on 12/20/2012 06:38 PM
    Taxed to Death and HughF---"ditto" from me. You have expressed my thoughts exactly.
  7. insite posted on 12/20/2012 07:47 PM
    According to MP, there was contract language stipulating that ice was to be an non-issue. That's fine, but doesn't MOT follow up with due diligence and ensure that the conditions of the contract are being met as construction proceeds? As the owner, MOT must keep on top of the project to ensure we are getting what we contracted to receive.

    Remember the BC Hydro review ordered by the government? The review found that MOT was "properly staffed"" with engineers but BC HYdro was awash with engineers. As a cost -cutting measure, MOT engineering staff was probably reduced to the point where it could not keep on top of the project. As for the cables, MOT should have been on top of the ice issue at the time the cables were being delivered to the site-or even before.

    Drivers who pay tolls did not expect to risk their lives. After the bridge is in service, is it not a little late to complain of non-performance on the part of the contractor?

    Where was the WD-40? It works well on snow shovels and satellite dishes.
  8. bctaxpayer posted on 12/21/2012 07:26 AM
    Risky Clark and BC lie beral party are to blame no one else.You know what we must do come the next election eh? Give risky the BOOT.
  9. joes_2868 posted on 12/21/2012 07:41 AM
    By and Ken280: Very glad to see that tempers are on the rise!
    F A N T A S T I C
  10. joes_2868 posted on 12/21/2012 07:46 AM
    Taxed to death: Please give the readers a breakdown of all the costs of the re-construction. The report I read lists the total breakdown and the roof was only part of it, but like I said, the major part of it.
    B.C. will be in big trouble if you NDP'er's get a chance to destroy the province. CONSTANT SHOOTING FROM THE HIP AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HIP POCKET, WHICH IS REALLY SICK!
    MAYBE START DOING YOUR HOMEWORK. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE NO LONGER IN SCHOOL, DOES NOT MEAN TO ACT LIKE AN IDIOT!

    Speak up readers! Are you scared of these NDP'er's?

    Taxpayers in Nova Scotia are voting them out in the next election.

    In Saskatchewan, they went from opposition seats of 20 down to 9.
    1. taxed to death posted on 12/21/2012 10:00 AM
      @joes_2868 an again I repeat.....my facts are bang on..get your head out of the LIEberals breakdown cost...that we know it is utter crap as is thier accounting process to simply muster up a budget as recently reported.. its all smoke and mirrors....now again Joe for the last time ....back to your Mayan calander while sailing on the LIEberal S.S. Sinking ship....face it Joe its an NDP government stop wasting the readers time its over for you....buh bye now...any woman who claims she would rather be a MILF than a COUGAR will never get my vote as did Snookie yesterday on CJET radio...she an absolute embarassment to the woman of this province...you can have her you fool!
  11. joes_2868 posted on 12/21/2012 02:16 PM
    taxed to death: At least I research before blowing gaskets like you do. It's wonderful that your temper is up. FANTASTIC! I guess you don't like the truth. Well it is the truth! THE ROOF DID NOT COST $500 MILLION, BUT AS I SAID BEFORE, IT WAS THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE TOTAL COST.

    BE STUBBORN ALL YOU WANT, BUT KEN280 HAS BEEN DEMOTED BECAUSE OF HIS ARROGANCE AND HIGH PRESSURE READINGS. I AM NOW HERE TO KEEP ALL YOU NDP'ER MLA CONSTITUENCY STAFF TO HAVE CONSTANT TEMPER RANTS.
  12. joes_2868 posted on 12/21/2012 02:27 PM
    Ken280: The readers consultant with a briefcase 50 miles away from home. Ken, you constantly repeat yourself by saying Go NDP Go! I have constantly repeated either way with a 10 seat majority at the most over the other.
    Adrian Dix and Christy Clark are both giving yearend interviews to the news media of B.C. Adrian Dix has mentioned in these interviews, that the next election is going to be a nail biter and he is not calling the result.
    You Ken, mentioned in one of your previous rampages, that you talked to Adrian Dix, as you said you know him.
    As Adrian has mentioned that the next election is going to be a nail biter, I emailed him quoting you at Ken280 on the NW news talk back section, as I don't know you of any other name, that you were talking to him, and I mentioned that you keep saying Go, NDP, Go, in your rampages.
    Does he know your talk back code, Ken280? That way when you talk again, the two of you can discuss your comments about Go, NDP, Go! I think Adrian should be able to clear the matter up, for us readers just to give us some clarity.

    As I told you before, in case you do have a stroke next May, the West Vancouver Library has weekly sessions for stroke victims, called, STROKE RECOVERY ASSOCIATION GROUP.

    Keep the blood pressure readings up!
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