New report recommends rehab of over 110-year-old bridge, not building new one
Mary Young walks across the Louise Bridge every day.
“Well I’m close to downtown…so I walk and I don’t really need to go anywhere,” said Young.
Young said that daily trip to downtown would be a hardship without the bridge crossing.
“Long ways to find another bridge.”
A report at city hall said the more than 110-year-old bridge is in poor condition and is facing deck, steel, and pier deterioration.
It requires significant upgrades before the end of the decade.
“If you've ever been on the Louise Bridge it's got some movement to it,” said Public Works Committee Chair, Janice Lukes.
The public works department is recommending a $40 million rehabilitation of the structure with two lanes of traffic.
This is instead of a new build, which would have four or six lanes, and a price tag of up to $179 million.
The report said the full replacement is not needed until after 2050 - to coincide with the planned eastern route of Rapid Transit - which would go over the bridge.
“I don’t think it's logical to completely redo the bridge and all the access points, rebuild the whole thing, to what is required in 30 years."
Coun. Jason Schreyer said he is disappointed by the rehab plan, but not surprised by it, blaming the direction on inflationary pressure.
“I feel sorry for Winnipeggers that after all the deliberation for building a new bridge, and for our eastern corridor for Rapid Transit, we’re looking at rehabilitation of a 100-year-old bridge.”
Area MLA Jim Maloway said a new bridge is needed here, not a refurbishment.
“Anybody that will listen to this argument will see that’s a total waste of $40 million - and it doesn’t expand the bridge, the bridge is too small right now for the traffic that we’ve got,” said Maloway.
The report said a two-lane bridge rehab would provide enough room for traffic until 2050.
The city might see this plan as the cheaper quicker option to ensure the Louise Bridge doesn't end up like Arlington - closed indefinitely
"I would say that that is one perspective that the department has on it,” Lukes said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Family of toddler found dead at small-town Ont. daycare no closer to answers after year of investigation
A year has passed since two-year-old Vienna Irwin was found on the property of a home-based daycare in small-town Ontario, but her family says they are no closer to answers of what happened that day.
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is working with local Mounties and the BC Coroners Service after a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. Friday night.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
Three dead after vehicle plunged down a 100-foot embankment in Shediac, N.B.
Three people have died after a vehicle veered off the road in Shediac N.B., Friday morning.
Appeal denied for Edmonton soldier accused of trying to kill her 3 children
An Edmonton woman found guilty of trying to kill her three children has been denied an appeal.