The provincial government has approved $16.6 million in funding for a temporary bridge on Beaver River, according to Regional Councillor Mike Jubb.
A recommendation to close the existing bridge was made in November 2023 as it had become unsafe, according to Ministry of Transport, Ontario (MTO). This has impacted not only traffic flows, but also cargo movement in and around Beaverton in the Township of Brock.
Brock Council has been lobbying the MTO and the Region of Durham since the closure of the bridge to atleast allow a temporary bridge until a permanent one is built (see below).
In an update to township council, Jubb said the province has also approved the construction of a permanent bridge as well as proposed to transfer ownership back to the Region of Durham.
No Timeline
However, no time has been provided for either the temporary or the permanent bridge.
The matter was to be discussed at the Durham Regional Council Meeting yesterday (May 29) with the recommendation to declare this bridge closure an emergency which opens up different procurement options for the region, Jubb said.
On January 4, MTO issued a statement saying: “In November 2023, due to concerns with the condition of the bridge, ministry engineers recommended the bridge be closed to traffic while a thorough structural assessment was carried out.
“The structural assessment and Bridge Load Testing have now been completed and unfortunately, the results do not support a full reopening of the bridge. The ministry, in consultation with Durham Region, is currently reviewing whether there are any feasible options to partially reopen the bridge with load and vehicular restrictions in place. The ministry is also in discussion with Durham Region on how best to accelerate the work required to replace the bridge.”
Too Much Risk
Brock Mayor Walter Schummer said the load on the bridge was down to about 7 tonnes. “So that’s why it was closed by MTO [as there was] too much risk if something heavy goes over.”
He said regional councillor Jubb and he have been talking with MTO and Treasury Board staff. “Treasury Board is where the province goes next to approve funding it along with funding a temporary bridge. A number of us met with the Minister of Transportation at Good Roads Conference to make our case and I felt very confident coming out of that meeting.
“Meetings have also been held with MTO staff about the need for very much improved signage on Hwy 12 and 48 to provide good notice to drivers of the closure and detour routes,” Mayor Schummer said.
MTO Response
In reponse to inquiries by Durham Post, an MTO spokesperson said: “The Ministry of Transportation and Durham Region are working together on a plan to finalize the design and construction of a new bridge. We thank residents of Beaverton for their patience and understanding.”
On being pressed for a timeline late last month, the spokesperson said: “As mentioned, the Ministry of Transportation and Durham Region are working together on a plan to finalize the design and construction of a new bridge. The contract to deliver this project, which includes several components, is currently in the development phase. Final completion timelines and costs will be determined once procurement is complete.”
Brock council and Beaverton residents await next steps.