One lane reopened on damaged northern Ontario bridge

By The Canadian Press

Provincial police say a badly damaged northern Ontario bridge has partially reopened.

The OPP says the Nipigon River Bridge reopened one lane on Monday morning, but says traffic will still be moving slowly in the area. The bridge was closed indefinitely Sunday after part of the steel decking separated about 60 centimetres from the rest of the structure.

The bridge spans the Trans-Canada Highway, which is the only major thoroughfare in the area.

Ontario Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle is planning to visit the site later today to assess the extent of the damage.

The Ministry of Transportation, which did not immediately return requests for comment, says it’s working to repair the bridge but has not offered an estimate as to when it will be fully functional.

Nipigon Mayor Richard Harvey said Sunday that the only option for motorists crossing northern Ontario was to detour through the U.S. Harvey says pedestrians can still cross on the footpath part of the bridge.

The Municipality of Greenstone, which includes a number of small communities in the area, declared a state of emergency Sunday because of the bridge closure.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today