Article published Aug 23, 2006 in the Bermuda Sun

Canadian firm will test strength of Causeway

By Nigel Regan

Preliminary work to replace the Causeway starts next month.

The government has hired Canadian firm Aadrvark Drilling Inc. to start drilling and sampling around Grotto Bay to test how strong the underlying rock is. The company will be supervised by geotechnical engineers Golders Associates. OBM Ltd. will handle the project's public consultation phase, planned for the autumn.

Works Ministers David Burch announced yesterday he terminated the contract with the original consultant, another Canadian company, because of its "inability to meet contractual obligations."

He said: "As a result, the Ministry undertook a review of the expertise within the sub-consulting groups to determine the most cost effective and expeditious method of completing the study and decided to contract directly with each sub-consultant."

Colonel Burch said the Ministry has experienced staff and that it will assume an "expanded role in the management of the project."

The initial work will cost just over $1.5m, $600,000 more than originally planned. The increase is due to the "expanded scope of the geotechnical and environmental studies, the increase in the scope of the public information presentation and gathering process."

Col. Burch said: "As the final solution to the Causeway is likely to cost in the tens of millions of dollars, this investment will result in a more detailed feasibility study, thereby reducing the unknowns during the design stage of the project."

Bank of Bermuda HSBC has already committed $250,000 to the project. Additional private financing is being explored.

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