'It is a safety concern': Concrete falling, rebar poking out of decades-old floodway bridge

A busy bridge over the Red River Floodway has nearly reached the end of its service life and is in need of repairs.

Large cracks, rebar poking out, and falling concrete can be found in the underbelly of the St. Mary’s Road Bridge. Above it, high-speed drivers are in store for a bumpy ride.

It was built in 1965, and the Province of Manitoba says it is now nearing the end of its original design service life.

The bridge that connects Winnipeggers to communities south of the city is under the Province of Manitoba’s control, but it is inside of city limits in Councillor Markus Chambers’ ward.

“It is a safety factor,” Chambers said in an interview with CTV News. “It is a safety concern, and we want to make sure that the province is aware of it.”

The province said it is aware of the bridge’s condition.

“I haven’t personally heard any concerns about the bridge,” Chambers said. “But if in fact there is concrete falling off and rebar sticking out, that is something that a structural engineer can come by and assess to determine how safe this bridge is.”

The councillor said he can bring up the bridge when he meets with the province about a new interchange at St Mary’s Road and the Perimeter Highway on April 5.

“Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure (MTI) plans to rehabilitate this structure with design work currently underway,” a spokesperson from the province said in an email to CTV News.

The bridge is inspected every two years and was last looked at in 2020.

“The last inspection identified areas of the bridge deck that required repairs, including areas around open curb drains, and deck work was completed in the summer of 2021 with additional repairs planned in spring/summer 2022, as soon as the weather conditions permit.”

Chambers said if flooding becomes a concern and Highway 59 and Highway 75 close, the St. Mary’s Road Bridge will get a whole lot busier.

“I am certain that bridges like this will become more active use and certainly we want to make sure it is safe to do so or safe to use,” Chambers said.

The province said the bridge can safely support Class B1 legal loading vehicles.