Corrosion closes Louise Bridge until July but not ‘an Arlington scenario’

The aging Louise Bridge will remain closed for several more weeks.

The city says the 115-year-old structure will be shut down until the end of July.

But unlike another prominent old bridge in the city, the head of council’s public works committee said this structure is not expected to suddenly close until further notice.

“It’s not another Arlington Bridge because we (already) set aside (money) to do repairs … It’s not going to be an Arlington scenario at all,” said Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West).

The Arlington Bridge, which opened in 1912, closed suddenly on Nov. 21, 2023, due to structural concerns. A year later, the city released a proposal to replace the bridge, which would cost $166 million, plus up to $27 million of interest, and require six years to build.

This year’s city budget includes $22 million to demolish that bridge and start designing its replacement.

The city closed the Louise Bridge, which crosses the Red River at Stadacona Street and Higgins Avenue, for an annual inspection and maintenance on May 23. It was initially expected to reopen on May 27 but the date was delayed to June 1 after crews discovered more extensive repairs were needed.

On Friday, the reopening date was extended again.

“The inspection uncovered corrosion that must be fixed before the bridge can reopen,” a city press release noted.

Lukes said the city needs to get replacement parts made, which led to the extended closure.

“There were pieces of the bridge that had corroded more than anticipated. Clearly, they need more time to fix the corroded pieces,” she said.

Last year, city council approved a plan to rehabilitate the Louise Bridge, with construction no later than 2030. The project is expected to cost $40 million and extend the life of the bridge by at least 30 years.

“They’re going to look at it and they’re going to assess if we can push (the long-term repair) forward … If we need to move it up, we need to move it up,” said Lukes.

The Louise Bridge was built in 1910, according to the Manitoba Historical Society.

During its current closure, the city is asking drivers to plan alternate routes and allow extra travel time.

The bridge remained open to pedestrians and cyclists Friday, though that access could be “removed intermittently” to accommodate repairs, the release said.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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