Arlington Bridge (CITY OF WINNIPEG / YOUTUBE)
WINNIPEG — If the 121-year-old Arlington Bridge is along your commute, you’ll have to find another route for the foreseeable future.
The City of Winnipeg announced Tuesday the busy bridge has been closed indefinitely to all traffic following a bridge condition assessment.
“Vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians, scooters, and all other modes will now be required to detour across the rail yards via either the McPhillips Street Underpass or Slaw Rebchuk Bridge (Salter Street),” the city said in a release.
The recent bridge assessment should come as no surprise to Winnipeggers, as the Arlington Bridge has been closed on and off over the last several years for various repairs.
In 2016, engineers identified the bridge as nearing the end of its lifespan and undertook a study. Those efforts resulted in a preliminary design for a new bridge, which was approved in 2018 by city council for future consideration and placed on a list of unfunded capital projects.
The study’s initial bridge condition analysis confirmed that steel corrosion has accelerated in recent years, is widespread, and has progressed to the point where it is no longer viable to make annual reactive safety repairs.
The city says once the study is complete, it will determine whether long-term rehabilitation is feasible. If not, the bridge could be decommissioned and removed.
The city will be undertaking necessary repairs to ensure the immediate safety of people and property in the underlying rail yards.
