The summer of 2026 brought record rainfall to Edmonton that damaged homes and other infrastructure — and is also forcing the closure of one of the city’s largest bridges.
The City of Edmonton said the High Level Bridge must undergo urgent repairs in 2027 after sustaining damage caused by the severe storms in June and July.
Landslides and erosion from the heavy rainfall affected the river valley slopes next to the bridge. Back in June, one of the bridge’s sidewalks was closed for that very reason.
“We know that another major bridge closure will be disruptive for people travelling through Edmonton and is not a closure we want to undertake, but it’s necessary work to maintain the bridge and address slope stabilisation needs,” said Sara Nichols, deputy city manager of Infrastructure Services.
The bridge remains safe to use, she said, as staff continue to inspect and monitor the erosion.
To minimize disruptions, the city said it will also complete the High Level’s planned rehabilitation at the same time — one year earlier than planned.
Completing both projects at the same time will allow the work to be done in one season instead of two.
Mayor Andrew Knack said the closure isn’t the news anyone wants to hear, but he’s grateful city administration pivoted quickly to align the repairs and rehab work.
“They’re going to to make sure they’re treating this project with significant prioritization — making sure we’ve got workers there as many hours of the day as possible, to ensure the safety and that that work gets done on time,” Knack said.
The one-way southbound bridge, which sees 24,000 to 27,000 vehicles per day, will be fully closed to traffic during next year’s construction season — from spring to late fall.
“We recognize that Edmontonians rely on our major bridges,” Nichols said. “By combining the urgent repairs with the planned rehabilitation of the High Level Bridge, we will reduce the total duration and number of closures overall.”
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How traffic will be detoured has not yet been determined, she said, adding it will be released once the city confirms its plan.
“All of the things have to be on the table to make that we are moving people,” Knack said. “Again, this work would have had to happen in 2028 anyway, that same type of traffic management, but we would have a little more time to do that preparation work had it not been for the rain.”
“No matter any other solution we can create, there’s still going be an impact.”
The steel structure has been an iconic part of Edmonton’s skyline since it was built in the early 1900s but a closer look at rusting girders and beams reveals their aging state.
At 113 years old, the High Level Bridge has surpassed the typical bridge life expectancy of 75 to 100 years and is living on borrowed time.
Rehabilitation work every few decades have kept the structure in service, but continuing to do that will eventually end up costing more than replacement.
Earlier this year, the city said a more fulsome rehabilitation would exceed $1 billion — which the city said was not feasible or fiscally responsible — so the bridge needs to be replaced in the next dozen or so years.
The High Level Bridge’s rehabilitation next year will ensure it continues to be safe and operational while long-term planning for its eventual replacement moves forward, the city said on Friday.
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“This work is required in order to get the additional years out of the High Level Bridge as we plan for and eventually replace (it),” Nichols said.
Work in 2027 will include repairs to bridge components such as bearings, substructure components on land, the deck surface and structural drainage.
A column in the middle of the west sidewalk will also be removed to improve safety and the experience for people walking and cycling across the bridge.
Pedestrian access will be maintained when possible, with detours, alternative routes and access changes shared in advance.
To accommodate the updated timeline and reduce traffic gridlock on the other bridges in and out of downtown, planned rehabilitation of the northbound Low Level Bridge lanes has been moved from 2027 to 2028.
Planning, design and construction of a new bridge are slated for 2031 to 2039.
The High Level Bridge is one of the few bridges ever constructed in Edmonton accommodate four modes of transportation: train, streetcar, automobile and pedestrian.
It was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway between 1910 and 1913. It literally bridged the divide between two communities: its construction was a major factor in the amalgamation of the City of Strathcona and the City of Edmonton on Feb. 1, 1912.
The character-defining elements of the bridge include the truss systems, tall concrete piers, streetcar tracks on top, the bridge superstructure and substructure, the metal handrails and the black paint colour.
The High Level was designated a municipal historic resource in 1995, so in order to decommission it, city council will need to repeal that historical designation. This has only been done three times since the city’s heritage conservation program was created in 1982.
I 100% agree with Anonymous….why is it that we cannot keep Historical buildings/History?
The excuse with old buildings is asbestos, mayor doesn’t like it, etc
Iconic bridges: Brooklyn Bridge 143 yrs
Golden Gate 89 yrs
Roebling Bridge 150+ yrs
Just to name a few that are “old” used more than ours and are not be threatened to be destroyed.
There is absolutely nothing more spectacular than restoring a monument that means so much to generations of people.
Even looking at the “financial” side, the costs are apparently the same(fixing or replacing) so why not beautify History instead of destroy it!?
Is that like the bridge 1997 oct 27. That collapsed killed 2 iron workers …CN..allouwted train to over a bridge that was going to collapse wood was rotten. C.N. still allowed it. 30min later 2ironworkers got killed boths man 34 years old …
City councils in the past have been ripping down bridges, spending years building new ones. (e.g. Glenora) There are bridges in the U.S. that are still being used in the U.S. that are exactly the same as the High Level bridge and built in the same time period.In Spain there is bridge that was built in Roman times. Still being used. Repairing, is better than destroying it. It is a landmark. Do not destroy any more bridges.