The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is looking to obtain upwards to $3 million in provincial funding to go toward the Lord Selkirk Bridge rehabilitation project in Wallaceburg.
A municipal staff reports says it was determined that fixing up the bridge along McNaughton Avenue, between James Street and Wallace Street over the Sydenham River, was the project that was “best suited for submission” under the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Connecting Links Program, as it is currently planned for rehabilitation and has been load posted since November 2016.
Pending council approval on Monday, October 23, staff plan to submit the application to the MTO complete with supporting information prior to the November 3, 2017 deadline.
The Municipality received notice about the eligibility to submit projects under the Connecting Links Program back on August 18, 2017, a staff report says.
“The program was set up to support the improvements along Connecting Links within Ontario Municipalities,” Adam Sullo, director of engineering and transportation, in a staff report.
A Municipality that has more than one designated Connecting Link may submit a maximum of two projects per year.
The maximum amount of funding available is up to 90% of project costs or $3 million, whichever is lower, Sullo said.
“The infrastructure funding program requires municipalities to show how proposed projects fit within a comprehensive Asset Management Plan,” Sullo said in his report.
“The Asset Management Plan that was developed for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent in 2013 positions the Municipality favourably to demonstrate that projects proposed are their top priorities and that the full range of local infrastructure financing tools have been explored.”
Sullo said in his report any additional funding above the $3 million would be funded from the Bridge Lifecycle Budget.
Background on the Lord Selkirk Bridge
Sullo told the Sydenham Current during an interview in October of last year that corrosion is to blame for a load restriction being implemented on the Lord Selkirk Bridge in Wallaceburg.
He said at the time that the Municipality was left with a decision to make on the future of the structure, which is over 70 years old and has a projected lifespan of 75 years.
“The main concern is corrosion,” Sullo said.
“The Lord Selkirk Bridge receives a lot of heavy truck traffic. It also is exposed to the elements. We’re seeing a loss of strength on the floor beams of the structure.”
The corroded area had been replaced once before, back in the 1970’s.
Sullo said last year the Municipality conducts bi-annual inspections on their bridges, and they pay extra attention to their “complex structures” like the Lord Selkirk Bridge.
“We try and have a more detailed look,” he said. “Structures like the Lord Selkirk, Dundas, Baseline and Murray Street bridges are more complex compared to many others across Chatham-Kent.”
Sullo said a decision needed to be made whether they repair the bridges current issue, do a major rehabilitation of the bridge or look into replacing it completely.
– Photo credit: Aaron Hall
