Plowing shows city refuses to burn bridge with Arlington

Vehicles haven’t had access to it for two years due to severe structural issues, but the city continues to plow the Arlington Bridge.

A spokesperson said Thursday the city plows the bridge to facilitate inspections and reduce weight on the structure.

“We have to keep this weight — also called dead load — down to minimize further deterioration until we are able to decommission the bridge,” the spokesperson said in an email.

The bridge, which opened in 1912, closed suddenly on Nov. 21, 2023, due to structural concerns, raising questions about its future.

On Friday, the city confirmed workers use a bobcat to clear snow off the main deck and standard sidewalk-clearing equipment, for safety purposes.

Snow is removed completely from the bridge, and not stockpiled on it, spokesman Adam Campbell said Friday.

The city inspects the bridge weekly, or sooner if there is a significant snowfall.

The cost to clear the decaying bridge is not known. All snow-clearing costs are included in the city’s annual snow and ice control budget, Campbell said.

In November 2024, the city released a proposal to replace the bridge at its current location. At that time, the cost was estimated at $166 million, with up to $27 million in interest. It would require six years to build.

Council’s executive policy committee approved a $22-million plan last January to demolish the bridge, which is between Logan and Dufferin avenues, and start designing its replacement.

Coun. Jeff Browaty, council’s finance chairman, said at the time the bridge was a critical link between communities and must be demolished to protect the rail lines below it.

Campbell said the city is in the process of developing a decommissioning schedule for the 114-year-old bridge, but have yet to finalize it.

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca