A 2009 MTO Memorandum…

A 2009 MTO Memorandum provides clarification on OSIM inspection timing requirements for newly constructed and rehabilitated structures, indicating that the first inspection is to be completed within two calendar years of construction contract completion and opening of the structure to traffic.

However, for long-term, multi-year project, such as LRT or highway projects extending five to ten years or more, this requirement can create ambiguity. Structures constructed early in the project may not be considered technically “substantially complete” until the overall project is finalized, yet they may be open to traffic for several years prior to the completion of the first OSIM inspection.

This situation may result in extended periods during which in-service structures remain uninspected under OSIM requirements. To address this issue, clearer definitions of “completion of the construction contract” and “opening of the structure to traffic” would be beneficial, particularly for large, phased projects involving early use of individual structures prior to overall project completion.