There will be some traffic disruptions at a major downtown Owen Sound intersection today as construction crews race towards the finish line in the 10th Street Bridge replacement project.
Final paving is set to begin at 7 a.m. Monday morning and city officials advise this will cause delays at the intersection of 2nd Avenue West and 10th Street West.
Owen Sound’s Director of Public Works and Engineering Dennis Kefalas says the paving is among the last few items to complete before the bridge opens. He says there is also some sidewalk and paving stone work, as well as the installation of traffic lights.
If all goes well, the bridge is expected to open up to traffic one week from today: December 14.
Kefalas notes changes to lane designations downtown that were altered to accommodate the detour route may happen in the near future or be put off until spring, depending on weather conditions.
“There was some discussion about possibly keeping 8th Street the way it is right now to help traffic flow. But, it does impact parking and some of the businesses,” Kefalas explains. “Right now the plan is to go back to the way it was before the bridge was out.”
If the weather in the weeks ahead does not allow for line painting, Kefalas says one immediate change that will be made is the removal of left-hand turn restrictions at the intersection of 2nd Avenue West and 9th Street.
“If the weather is not good and only one change can be made on the detour it will be that, ” Kefalas adds.
The new 10th Street Bridge will be dedicated as Gitche Namewikwedong Bridge. It means Great Sturgeon Bay, the name of Owen Sound and the bay in the Anishinaabemowin language before contact between settlers and Indigenous ancestors.
An official bridge dedication ceremony is expected to take place in the spring.
City council approved an $8.68-million tender for the construction of a new bridge in July 2019. The entire project is expected to cost around $9.3-million when factoring in other expenses such as consulting and engineering costs, according to a past Bayshore Broadcasting report.
The project must be complete by March 31, 2021 for the city to maintain eligibility for a $3-million grant from the Ontario government’s Connecting Links program.
The 10th Street Bridge closed in October 2019 for the commencement of the replacement project. The old bridge was built in 1911 and served as the main connecting link across the Sydenham River for provincial highways 6, 10, 21 and 26.
It was tabbed for replacement due to its deteriorating condition.