Kingston’s $180M third bridge crossing continues to take shape

We’re halfway there. Kingston officials provided another update on Tuesday on the third bridge crossing — the city’s most expensive infrastructure project.

It’s now 50 per cent complete and staying on budget, with crews continuing to work on the bridge throughout the pandemic. When you look at it, it’s starting to look like a bridge. Day by day, the Limestone City’s $180 million third crossing of the Cataraqui River is getting closer to completion.

Mark Van Buren is Kingston’s major projects deputy commissioner.

“We’re at a really exciting point in the project right now,” Van Buren said. “The work that’s happening as we speak we’re really starting to see the skeleton of the bridge taking shape.”

2:05 City of Kingston set to begin consultation with Indigenous communities to name third bridge crossing

People on the east shore of the river will notice the steel main span coming to life. Van Buren says there’s a reason the massive structure is located close to the east shore.

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“It coincides with the navigation channel in this part of the Cataraqui River,” Van Buren explained. “The main span is going to be that part of the bridge under which all of the boat traffic is going to be travelling upstream and downstream of the third crossing”.

Meanwhile, on the west shore, the concrete girders continue to be brought to the site. Van Buren says about half of the 95 girders are already on location, which are some of the longest and heaviest concrete girders that have ever been manufactured in the province of Ontario.

Part of being on time and on budget means managing the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Van Buren says they’ve been diligent in adhering to public health protocols in an effort to keep the virus from impacting the project.

“At this point in time we’ve been able to make arrangements to make sure that all of the workers on site are going to get vaccinated in the very short future,” Van Buren said.

“And again, all of these levels of effort … make sure that we have a really safe job site.”

Work also continues off-site, as a shortlist of names for the new bridge is expected to be made public in June ahead of public consultation.

2:01 Massive support beams arrive in Kingston as city’s third crossing continues to take shape.