Kingston’s LaSalle Causeway will be closed for repairs nightly from Oct. 22 until Oct. 26.
Public Works will be doing maintenance on the lift bridge, which means motorists cannot use the crossing from 9:30 p.m. until 6 a.m.
The closure is needed for repairs to deck grating, replacement of bearings and repainting certain areas of the causeway.
While the work will be done overnight, many residents are reminded of past closures which caused traffic chaos as motorists were forced to use Highway 401 to get to and from the east end of the city.
“Coming back to the base… I would have been here in about five minutes — that took me about 20 minutes,” said Tim Wall, temporarily living in the city. “It was definitely an inconvenience.”
Some Kingstonians said they don’t use the causeway anymore due to the regular traffic jams that occur even without closures.
Many note it’s east-enders who feel it the most when there’s a problem with the main east-west traffic artery.
“I am concerned that east-end residents are being inconvenienced, and we have not had any recent update of how the progress of the third crossing is coming,” said resident Marilyn Jones.
The $180-million third crossing bridge would offer an alternative route over the Cataraqui River, but federal funding for the project is still pending.
During the maintenance work on the causeway, the bridge will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists.
This likely won’t be the end of causeway closures, however. It’s expected ongoing repairs will continue in stages through 2018 as the federal government works to maintain the aging century-old structure.
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