Ontario Construction News staff writer
A Georgian Bay community could be billed over $1 million to remove and replace a bridge over the Mad River.
Clearview Township council recently received a report from R.J. Burnside and Associates Ltd. about the cost to repair the bridge. Options range from removing the bridge and closing the road to replacing the structure with a new single-lane bridge.
Engineer Jeremy Cober advised council that removing the original steel truss bridge, built sometime in the 1930s, will cost about $75,000.
The structure consists of a steel truss with a timber deck with an unknown original construction date. A “sister structure” to the bridge on Kearnan Road which collapsed in the 2000s, resulting in the closure of Kearnan Rd. It spans about 18.2 metres and has a road width of approximately 4.2 metres through the truss.
Cober says the structure is inspected every two years in accordance with O. Reg. 104/97 and the Ontario Structure Inspection Manual (OSIM)
“A rehabilitation was completed on the structure in 2011, consisting of replacing the stringers and timber decking at each end of the bridge,” he said in a presentation to council.
“Following the 2018 inspection, it was recommended that a two-tonne load limit be applied to the bridge. During the inspection in the summer of 2020, it was noted that the bridge was continuing to deteriorate, and it was recommended to close the bridge.”
Councillors are concerned that emergency crews would need to make a long detour to get to any locations on the other side of the Mad in that part of the municipality.
“It’s a lot of money for a single-lane bridge that only serves its purpose for six months of the year, but on the other hand, I don’t like closing roads,” said Councillor Doug McKechnie.
Options being considered include:
Removal
- $75,000+ consultation with MHSTCI
Repair – Estimated cost $300,000, with an expected life span of 10 years
- Remove and replace the timber decking and stringers
- Reinforce or replace the floor beams
- Replace sections of the bottom chord
- Install appropriate barrier system and guide rail to protect the truss
Replacement Option1
- 20-metre + span, single lane bridge including road grading to raise the bridge above the water level
- Estimated cost $1.1 with a life span of 75 years
Replacement Option 2
- Replace structure with multi-cell culverts and allow flooding over the road during flood events
- Would require significant flood modelling and may not be feasible.
- Estimated cost $500,000 with a life span of 40 years.
Deputy public works director Dan Perrault will present a plan to council.
