Ontario Construction News staff writer
Construction of a permanent bridge over the Beaver River east of Beaverton is set to begin, replacing the temporary structure installed after the original bridge was closed for safety reasons in 2023.
“Reliable infrastructure is instrumental in keeping communities connected and supporting local development,” said Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott. “The groundbreaking of the Beaver River Bridge is an important milestone in enhancing safety and transportation for residents, and visitors.”
The Regional Municipality of Durham, with funding from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, is moving ahead with the replacement of the bridge on Regional Road 15 in the Township of Brock.
The new bridge will be built in stages to keep traffic moving in both directions for most of the construction period, although lane shifts will be required.
The bridge provides a connection to Beaverton’s downtown, local businesses and emergency services and supports the local economy.
The permanent bridge is expected to be completed in 2027.
The existing Beaver River Bridge was closed on Nov. 16, 2023, because of safety concerns. A temporary modular bridge was installed on Nov. 14, 2024, to restore the transportation link while plans for a permanent replacement were developed.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is investing $31 billion in highways, roads and bridges to tackle gridlock, shorten travel times and drive economic growth across the province,” Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said in a statement.
“The new Beaver River Bridge will ensure drivers in Beaverton and across Durham Region have a reliable way to get where they’re going each day as we continue our work to protect Ontario.”
Brock Mayor Michael Jubb said the bridge is a critical economic and transportation link for the municipality.
“Without this partnership of all three levels of government, the economic and transportation hardship would have been devastating for our local community,” Jubb said.
Funding for both the temporary and permanent bridge structures is being provided by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.
Project information and updates are available through the Region of Durham.
