Some residents in Saugeen Shores don’t want Moore Bridge to be torn down, and council is willing to see if it can be kept.
Moore Bridge was built in 1920 and can be found on McKechnie Sideroad, spanning Snake Creek about seven kilometres southeast of Port Elgin.
A staff report presented Monday recommended removing the bridge which has been closed to vehicles since 2013 because of structural deterioration.
Council decided to postpone a decision on whether or not to remove the bridge until 2028-29, and in the meantime, monitor its condition. They’ll also explore its future use as a recreational bridge, but removal a few years from now will still be an option depending, in part of available funding.
A cycling advocate told council Monday evening, Moore Bridge is a preferred safer route for cyclists, allowing them to stay away from Bruce Roads 17 and 3. It’s also used by ATV users and pedestrians.
Staff say, to rehabilitate or rebuild the bridge so vehicles can travel over it, would require upgrades on about 2km of road. Staff say floodplain analysis showed the bridge doesn’t provide safe access during a regional storm event, and if it were to be replaced up to standard, it would need a significantly longer span and raised deck elevation.
Staff say historically, vehicular traffic volume was low, but they note, it is used by pedestrians, cyclists, and ATV users.
The staff report says public consultation in late 2025 saw 19 people take part. Ten wanted a pedestrian active/transportation bridge, six wanted it removed and three wanted vehicle access restored.
Staff say in their report that low vehicle use doesn’t support restoring the bridge for traffic. They say alternate routes add 2 to 3 minutes.
Options presented to council Monday included repairing the existing bridge short-term for between $700,000- $1.1 million, replacing the pedestrian bridge at $1.6 to to $2 million, replacing a single lane bridge for $3 million to $3.5 million, or replacing two lanes for upwards of $5 million, or full removal of the bridge for about $600,000 to $800,000.
Council is due to revisit the decision as part of 2028-2029 budget deliberations.