CENTRE WELLINGTON – Council here approved the replacement of three bridges and removal of a fourth at its Feb. 10 meeting.
The bridges, located in southern Centre Wellington near the Guelph/Eramosa border, have been a controversial topic for local residents and farmers, who have to go out of their way to get where they are going because the bridges are out.
Bridge 2-WG is located on 3rd Line, just north of Eramosa Garafraxa Townline. It currently has a load limit.
Bridge 3-E is on 6th Line Eramosa; bridge 5-E is on 4th Line and bridge 7-E is on 3rd Line. All three are north of Sideroad 22 and have been closed for many years.
All four bridges are within 30km of each other.
Adam Dickieson, engineering services coordinator, explained the studies are complete, public consultation has occurred and staff are recommending replacing bridges 5-E, 2-WG, and 7-E – in that order – and removing bridge 3-E.
“It boils down to travel time for farm equipment,” Dickieson said, adding right now farmers are forced onto county roads to get around, but they would prefer to stay off major routes with their equipment.
“This solution is generally supported by the community.”
Each of the bridges can be replaced with a single span precast concrete structure, Dickieson said, which is the least expensive and “a quick replacement style.”
It’s still costly though, with estimates coming in at $5 million to address the four structures.
And it will be another two or three years before these projects move from the 10-year capital plan to an actual work plan.
Dickieson estimated it would be 2028 before work can begin on the first bridge.
CAO Dan Wilson said staff is updating its asset management plan this year and the plan will make recommendations on future funding for bridge and culvert work, among other things.
“We are still short on bridges and culverts,” he said, referring to the dedicated levy instituted to ensure there would be funding for bridges and culverts.
