After months of speculation, the first of two new bridges in Brandon is officially open.

After what seemed like forever (OK, I’m being a bit sarcastic here) we can now look forward to the demolition of the old bridge and the construction of the second one.

Considering I’m not at every press conference due to the fact I’ve been a ‘one man show’ at the Journal for quite some time (although that will soon change), I do try to make it to as many prominent matters in the community as I can.

I felt compelled to make my way to the grand opening of the first bridge for a number of reasons.

For one, not every day in the Wheat City a multi-million dollar bridge is opened for business, and two, I stumbled upon an interesting website that relates to said event.

Robert Cyrenne, the moderator for the site www.brand-onbridge.com, basically calls out the province, demanding on the site’s home page in bold lettering ‘immediate removal’ of the ‘false’ road sign that states the ‘Twinned Bridge’ project will cost $17 million to construct.

Since the first phase of the project was completed at a cost of $14 million, that left just $3 million to work with for phase two.

At the press conference, Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Ron Lemieux acknowledged to the people holding the microphones that the project will be a bit pricier than originally thought.

Cyrenne asked Mr. Lemieux if the cost overrun will come out of his pocket or ours, the taxpayers.

Lemieux didn’t like that question very much.

Mr. Cyrenne also shows a letter on his site in which he sent to Lemieux where he formally requests a full accounting of the ‘anticipated cost overrun’ for the two bridges.

Here is a brief look at what the letter says:

“On behalf of concerned Brandon citizens, I am formally requesting a full accounting of the anticipated $13 million cost overrun for the Brandon bridges. I am also asking for the immediate removal of a misleading promotional road sign on 18th Street announcing the “Twinned Bridges” as a $17 million infrastructure project. According to estimates that you made in the Legislature on April 24, 2009, the bridges will, in fact, cost close to $30 million.

“Please provide in a timely manner exactly where the extra $13 million is being spent and why these costs were not anticipated by the builder when the contract was awarded. Please outline if any penalties are being assessed to the builder for the delays and the cost overrun.”

Mr. Cyrenne has a petition in regards to these matters on his site as well.