ARISS – Pending council's endorsement, staff are recommending only three of five bridges on the township's potential chopping block be replaced.
After extensive public consultation and a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) study, a new report said the removal of bridges 1-P and 30-P and the replacement of 32-P, 33-P and 28-P is generally supported by the local community base and is to be discussed during a council meeting Monday evening.
Four options were initially presented for each bridge: do nothing, remove the structure and construct a turnaround, rehabilitate the existing structure, or replace the structure.
Constructed between 1922 and 1929, all five bridges were initially closed as "a measure to ensure public safety" due to structural deterioration and are located on Sideroad 5, 11, and Noah Road in the former township of Pilkington.
According to the report, Bridges 32-P and 33-P are anticipated to undergo a detailed engineering design in 2024 pending council's endorsement and were included in the capital budget, with construction funding of these replacement structures planned for 2027.
The design for Bridge 28-P will occur later, as construction funding is currently planned for 2033 but both the design timing and construction may be adjusted through the annual budget process.
The timing of removal and permanent closure of Bridges 1-P and 30-P will also be evaluated through the annual budget process, with 30-P's construction currently in budget year 2030 and 1-P to be considered during the 2025 budget development process.
However, the report said both the value and timing of these budgets could be adjusted.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
