Manitoba bridge destroyed in spring fire to be replaced, minister says

A bridge in southern Manitoba that was destroyed by fire in May is set to be replaced.

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk announced Thursday that the bridge, which crossed Manning Canal on Provincial Road 311 near New Bothwell, is expected to be reopened in 2025.

The province is currently looking at options for replacing the bridge, which was 42 years old at the time of the fire. Piwniuk said a new bridge will have a higher capacity for overloaded vehicles.

1:32 A bridge burns near New Bothwell, Man., Wednesday evening.

Since the blaze, the previous bridge has been dismantled and traffic has been rerouted.

“This bridge sees over 3,000 vehicles per day and is an important route in the Blumenort area,” he said.

“We are working to have the bridge reconstructed and reopened in the quickest timeline possible to minimize traffic impacts in the area.”

0:37 Bridge in southern Manitoba municipality destroyed by fire