'I'm not sure if this will be in the budget': City considering $166 million Arlington Bridge replacement

A city report is recommending an option to replace a closed bridge that is considered beyond repair, but those funds may not be available in the budget.

Fred Cano drove over the Arlington Street Bridge daily when it was open.

"Such an easy way to get from one place to another,"  said Cano.

But that easy way is not so easy since the bridge closed indefinitely a year ago.

"It causes a lot of distress," said Cano.

A report at city hall said the current structure can't be fixed and needs to be torn down.

In its place. the report proposed a new bridge for $166.3 million, including $16.9 million to demolish the existing one.

An additional $27 million in interest payments may be required if the city must pay for the project without any help from other levels of government.

Mynarski Councillor Ross Eadie has been pushing for a full replacement. 

"I'm very happy it's on the table," said Eadie.

The new bridge would have two lanes of vehicle traffic with multi use sidewalks on each side. Unlike the current structure, the new one will have a reduced slope, improving accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists, while allowing transit buses to cross.

Public Works Committee Chair Janice Lukes said this is an improvement.

"There will be the option of having trucks go over it too, I'm not sure what weight limit," said Lukes.

The report said since Arlington closed, traffic on the Slaw Rebchuk Bridge increased by five thousand  vehicles per day, and peak traffic times have increased by an hour in the morning and two hours in the afternoon at the Mcphillips underpass.

"Talk to the people at the McPhillips underpass where everybody is calling it a parking lot now, because since this bridge closed, it added almost a half hour," said Eadie.

The report recommended the costs be referred to the 2025 budget, set to be tabled December 11.

But with the enormous financial crunch facing the city it's unclear if the bridge will make the cut.

"We will be having a briefing, before the 11th, but at this point in time I'm not sure if this will be in the budget or not," said Lukes.