If the Arlington Bridge is part of your daily commute, your life is about to change. The City of Winnipeg has closed the 111-year-old bridge indefinitely, saying it is unsafe.
Effective immediately, all traffic — vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians — will have to detour using the McPhillips Street Underpass or the Slaw Rebchuk Bridge on Salter Street.
Winnipeg also said drivers should get on at Selkirk Avenue or Notre Dame Avenue during rush hours to avoid bottlenecks at Logan Avenue and Dufferin Avenue.
Earlier this year, the city commissioned a study to see what can be done now that steel corrosion has become so widespread that regular annual maintenance won’t cut it.
The study is continuing to see if there’s any way to keep the bridge operational long-term. Until that study is complete, the Arlington Bridge is closed, and some necessary repairs will be made to it to ensure the safety of the people and property in the railyards beneath.
In 2016, Winnipeg said engineers identified the bridge as nearing the end of its lifespan.
About 13,100 vehicles go over the bridge per day, the city said.