Bruce County is going to consider endorsing a repair project for the Durham Street Bridge.
It’s a shift from a previous plan to replace the bridge.
This comes after a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment was done in 2021 by the county to consider the future of the Durham Street Bridge, which spans the Saugeen River in Walkerton.
Council could also choose to replace the existing bridge or do nothing.
Public information sessions were held in 2022 and 2023 with affected downtown business owners.
A report from Director of Transportation and Environmental Services Adam Stanley says. “the preferred alternative at that time, involved a costly full replacement of the bridge, a seven kilometre detour and a construction period of 2+ years. Residents, members of the public and business owners expressed a significant amount of concern regarding the preferred alternative being considered. There was a petition submitted to the Municipality of Brockton and subsequently the county, calling for a re-evaluation of the preferred alternative.”
Following a review and a bridge condition survey completed in 2023, it was recommended the rehabilitation of the bridge be considered.
This about $5.9 million project will be presented to council with the 2025 capital budget.
If council approves repairing the bridge and the Environmental Study Report is finalized, the tendering process for the project will begin early this fall, with construction aimed to be completed by the end of 2025.
Council will consider endorsing repairing and rehabilitating the bridge during its meeting on Aug. 1 at 9:30 a.m.
