Arlington Bridge

[thurmas]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manit...tely-1.7035382

City of Winnipeg closes Arlington Bridge indefinitely due to poor condition
Immediate closure announced Tuesday after city says yearly safety repairs no longer viable

The City of Winnipeg has decided to close the Arlington Bridge, effective immediately, until further notice due to its condition.

The closure was announced Tuesday afternoon via a news release.

Commuters, including pedestrians and cyclists, will need detour across the rail yards via either the McPhillips Street underpass or Slaw Rebchuk Bridge on Salter Street, the news release says.

The decision was made after an assessment of the 121-year-old bridge found that the steel corrosion has accelerated in recent years and has gotten to the point where annual safety repairs are no longer viable, the news release says.

The city is still looking into whether a long-term rehabilitation of the bridge is possible, the release says.

Arlington Bridge will remain closed until that study is complete, the city said.

[thebasketballgeek]

Lmao what a joke. Instead of repairing a 120 year old bridge/building a new bridge that’s a major artery connecting the North End with the city, they would rather do a road widening on Kenaston and road expansion for Chief Peguis.

I guess they want to make McPhillips the worst traffic artery in the city, and make the North End an even worse area to live in. Too bad all of the donors for council live in the SW part of the city so they won’t even care.

[FactaNV]

Originally Posted by thebasketballgeek

Lmao what a joke. Instead of repairing a 120 year old bridge/building a new bridge that’s a major artery connecting the North End with the city, they would rather do a road widening on Kenaston and road expansion for Chief Peguis.

I guess they want to make McPhillips the worst traffic artery in the city, and make the North End an even worse area to live in. Too bad all of the donors for council live in the SW part of the city so they won’t even care.

The city is in for a world of hurt between this, Louise being close behind and the ballooning costs of the sewage plant. Hopefully some emergency funds can be unlocked from the Feds/Province.

[drew]

Most exciting driving in the city is going up and down those Arlington bridge ramps.

Thank goodness I don't travel that route as much I used to for kids sports, cuz Mcphillips SUCKS.

[ColdRain&Snow]

Here's an article from February 11, 2023 talking about the need to replace the old bridges in Winnipeg:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manit...ysis-1.6744419

The cost estimate for replacing the Arlington Bridge was $320 million. That was 5 years ago already, surely the price has gone up a lot since then.

Also, the piles for the Louise Bridge were built in 1881. Winnipeg wasn't even incorporated until 1873.

Also, the Redwood Bridge was opened in 1909. That one is a ticking time bomb as well.
https://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/sites/redwoodbridge.shtml

[rrskylar]

Mc Phillips should have been upgraded while they re-habbing the rail bridge and underpass, the closure of the derelict Arlington Bridge should come as no surprise to anyone!

[bomberjet]

There's been endless discussions on what to do. Easiest solution? Get used to it being closed.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by thebasketballgeek

Lmao what a joke. Instead of repairing a 120 year old bridge/building a new bridge that’s a major artery connecting the North End with the city, they would rather do a road widening on Kenaston and road expansion for Chief Peguis.

I guess they want to make McPhillips the worst traffic artery in the city, and make the North End an even worse area to live in. Too bad all of the donors for council live in the SW part of the city so they won’t even care.

A lot of truth ^ here! Redwood, Louise and the Arlington bridges probably all should have been replaced a couple decades ago!

Extending Chief Peguis would be for the benefit of NW Winnipeg by the way!

[drew]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

There's been endless discussions on what to do. Easiest solution? Get used to it being closed.

Agree. To re-build it would require massive extensions on the north and south ends for modern requirements.

Repairing ("grandfathering") it in place as long as possible is by far the most cost-effective method of keeping this route open, just due to the $$ necessary to attempt a replacement.

[bomberjet]

Previous studies are here.
https://legacy.winnipeg.ca/publicwor...s/cprYards.stm
https://legacy.winnipeg.ca/publicwor...gtonBridge.stm

Preferred option is the base design shown here.
https://clkapps.winnipeg.ca/DMIS/Vie...ctionId=530285

I like this option the best. But big time dollars.
https://legacy.winnipeg.ca/publicwor...Connection.pdf

[WinCitySparky]

Society is crumbling in a lot of ways because of poor planning and wealthy interest funnelling money away from collective interests. Get used to it, as BJ says. Or just get rich, I guess

[thurmas]

The stupid property tax freeze policies of Murray and Katz are certainly coming home to roost now.

[bomberjet]

I will say it's rather pathetic the City let it get to this point. If they want to close it, just close it.


Redwood was rehabbed with a 50 year timeline, IIRC.

Edit: 40 years on the rustproofing. Not bad.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manit...opens-1.610114

More Redwood Bridge (sorry). A nice paper on what was done there.
http://conf.tac-atc.ca/english/resou...ocs/s7/Lau.pdf

[Kinguni]

Originally Posted by ColdRain&Snow

Also, the Redwood Bridge was opened in 1909. That one is a ticking time bomb as well.

The rehabilitation on the Redwood Bridge which was completed in 2006 was intended to last at least 40 years. That bridge is just fine.

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by FactaNV

The city is in for a world of hurt between this, Louise being close behind and the ballooning costs of the sewage plant. Hopefully some emergency funds can be unlocked from the Feds/Province.

Didn't the city already use a couple hundred million dollars from federal public transit infrastructure funding towards the sewage plant? Not like we needed that to go towards our already fantastic public transit in Winnipeg anyway.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by WinCitySparky

Society is crumbling in a lot of ways because of poor planning and wealthy interest funnelling money away from collective interests. Get used to it, as BJ says. Or just get rich, I guess

A lot of rot and rust at city hall for letting this fester for a couple decades, feel for those whose commute and daily life required the use of the Arlington Bridge!

[FactaNV]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

Didn't the city already use a couple hundred million dollars from federal public transit infrastructure funding towards the sewage plant? Not like we needed that to go towards our already fantastic public transit in Winnipeg anyway.

To be fair, no one expected the plant to be this expensive and for the ecological future of one of our greatest treasures and ecosystems, Lake Winnipeg, this must must must be completed.

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by FactaNV

To be fair, no one expected the plant to be this expensive and for the ecological future of one of our greatest treasures and ecosystems, Lake Winnipeg, this must must must be completed.

I wish they took that money out of their road budget instead. Like that will ever happen.

[wags_in_the_peg]

relocate the railyard will solve the problem of requiring all these bridges replaced in next decade

[bomberjet]

If we can find a few billion to relocate the rail yard, I'm all for it.