ELORA – Centre Wellington has added a load restriction to another bridge in the township.
That brings the total to seven of 111 bridges in the township with a load restriction.
Engineering services coordinator Adam Dickieson told council at its Feb. 22 committee of the whole meeting that bridge 29WG, on Sideroad 15 in West Garafraxa, will now have a 15-tonne load limit.
“We’re monitoring it closely now,” he said, adding the bridge is a 100-year-old bowstring arch bridge. “The structural engineers suggest it could be rehabilitated.”
Councillors wanted to know how load restrictions are communicated to the public.
Dickieson said signs will be posted in advance and at the entrance to the roadway – enough notice “for overloaded vehicles to redirect themselves,” he said.
Councillor Stephen Kitras asked about the status of bridge WG31, the bridge on the 2nd Line.
“It has quite a bit of life in it, 30 or 40 years,” Dickieson speculated, adding it is in the 10-year capital forecast to redo the deck of the bridge, which should further extend its life.
The load restricted bridges include:
- 2-WG on 3rd Line between Wellington Road 18 and Eramosa-Garafraxa Townline, 15 tonnes maximum;
- 3-N on Beatty Line between Sideroad 10 (east to Highway 6) and Sideroad 10 (west to Gerrie Road),10 tonnes maximum;
- 8-WG on 7th Line between Sideroads 25 and 20, 10 tonnes maximum;
- 9-N on Irvine Street between Sideroads 11 and 5, 10 tonnes maximum;
- 21-WG on 1st Line between Sideroads 20 and 15, 10 tonnes maximum;
- 26-P on 1st Line West between Sideroads 5 and 11, 15 tonnes maximum; and
- 29-WG on Sideroad 15 between 1st Line and 2nd Line, 15 tonnes maximum.
“All structures in this report exhibit structural issues of varying degrees due to age and deterioration,” states a report from engineers at K. Smart Associates Ltd., a firm hired to inspect the bridges.
“It is recommended that five of these structures be replaced as soon as possible or be subject to complete closure in the near future.
“No work is recommended at Structure 9-N. Rehabilitation is recommended for Structure 29-WG.”
