Bruce County is announcing the completion of the Durham Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project in Walkerton.
The county announced that the bridge has fully re-opened to two-way traffic and pedestrians.
As a part of the completion, all weight restrictions have been lifted along the bridge, and the alternate truck route has been removed.
The rehabilitation project began after assessments were done in 2019 which showed the bridge would eventually need to be replaced.
Phase 1 was completed in October 2025, by Pullman Services, while Phase 2 was completed by Looby Construction Ltd.
Located on Bruce Road 4 at the east end of Walkerton, the Durham Street Bridge spans the Saugeen River and serves as a critical transportation link on Bruce County’s highest-volume roadway corridor between Walkerton and Hanover.
Originally constructed in 1937, the bridge had exceeded the typical 75-year service life outlined in current Canadian bridge design standards, making rehabilitation necessary to ensure its continued safe and reliable operation.
The project did see slight delays along the way, including flooding caused by an overrun of the Saugeen River leading to a temporary closure of the bridge.
That flooding also cause some damage to the bridge deck as it was under construction at the time.
The delays then led to minor cost overages, which were covered by the county’s Roads, Bridges, Culverts, and traffic Control Reserve Fund.
The forecasted cost of the work was expected to cost $4,100,000 for Phase 1 and $5,045,000 for Phase 2, for a total cost of $9,145,000.
The project included safety enhancements, such as wider sidewalks for pedestrians and an upgraded railing system to meet modern crash rating standards.