Northern Manitoba mayor calling on province to help fix decaying bridge

The mayor of Lynn Lake, Man. is concerned about a bridge connecting to his community and what would happen if it became impassable.

Brandon Dulewich said the condition of the bridge stretching over the Churchill River has diminished to the point where people can look through the holes in the pavement and see the river below.

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Dulewich said he has met with the province multiple times dating back to last year to figure out a repair plan, but nothing has been done.

He said multiple northern First Nations rely on the bridge as an access point for goods and services and he fears what would happen if something happened to the bridge.

"All these other small northern First Nations communities rely on diesel-generated power, so come winter time, we're talking thousands of tanker trucks, heavy loads going over that bridge, going to these northern communities, just so they could have power and heat in their homes," said Dulewich. "If this infrastructure fails, I fear that those people will be left in the dark and without any heat this coming winter."

A vehicle on the other side of the bridge over the Churchill River after having to drive through a pothole on the bridge. Uploaded Sept. 23, 2024. (Jenna Dulewich)

When there were construction talks, Dulewich said daily temporary closures were proposed, but he felt that wouldn't be possible as other communities need to access Lynn Lake.

"Leaf Rapids relies on Lynn Lake for all of its health services. So if somebody's having a heart attack or something, they can't get across that bridge for a couple hours. Well, that's a life or death situation."

Dulewich said the bones of the bridge are in good shape, but it's the deck that needs to be redone.

He also drives semis and other heavy equipment across the bridge, and said it can be a scary situation.

"When I drive through, I open up the door of the semi just in case I have to jump out when it falls through. It's pretty concerning."

In an emailed statement to CTV News Winnipeg, a provincial spokesperson said structure rehabilitation is in the "preliminary design phase."

"The final construction timeline for this project is expected to be determined following the detailed design phase, which will include community and stakeholder engagement next year," the spokesperson said.

They added maintenance and repairs will continue as required.