No structural damage for Portage Avenue train bridge

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This article was published 03/05/2023 (1077 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canadian Pacific has inspected a train bridge that was struck by a construction crane Tuesday afternoon, snarling Portage Avenue traffic for hours.

“(Company) bridge inspectors determined the bridge did not sustain structural damage,” railway spokeswoman Salem Woodrow said Wednesday in a brief statement.

Winnipeg Police Service traffic division officers are investigating the incident, which occurred at about 3 p.m.

Police said a semi-truck transporting the crane collided with the bridge, which crosses Portage Avenue near Empress Street.

Two other vehicles also crashed following the collision. At least one pick-up truck rear-ended the crane, which was left leaning against the rail bridge.

Police have not said whether anyone could face charges. No one was reported injured.

Traffic was rerouted on westbound Portage Avenue until around 7 p.m.

An overhead sign mounted to the bridge was also damaged, appearing nearly sheared off.

City of Winnipeg spokesman David Driedger said the sign will be replaced, but did not say when that will occur.

Early last month, an armoured truck collided with a support pillar of a downtown sky walk and was flipped on its side. The driver and passenger were sent to hospital after the collision at about 1 a.m. April 6.

Police were investigating after it was reported someone may have came across the scene and stolen unspecified items. WPS has issued no updates on that case.

A City of Winnipeg spokesman said at the time the pillar was inspected by city engineers and structural consultants.

erik.pindera@winnipegfreepress.com