Construction won’t start until next Spring but Bruce County is getting its ducks in a row for a new bridge in Paisley and a preferred detour while construction continues on the span.
On June 17th, the Bruce County Transportation & Environmental Services Committee approved the preliminary design and preferred detour for the Teeswater River Bridge replacement project on Bruce Road 3.
The new bridge will be constructed in the same location as the present one,
Feedback also suggested that an in-town detour with a temporary bridge, downstream from the current bridge, was the preferred option, despite a higher project cost of just over 2.8-million-dollars for the temporary span.
That’s about $75,000 more than other detours that would require road improvements and take traffic out of the Paisley area.
The June 17th report states, “The total cost of this project is currently estimated to be $10.2M which includes all costs associated with the project. This project cost may increase to $11M should Arran Elderslie choose to enter into an agreement to upgrade water main and sidewalk infrastructure north of the bridge.”
Arran Elderslie Mayor Steve Hammell believes there is unanimous support for this project at the council table and in Paisley.
Hammell admits it’s a lot of money to complete the project but he hopes all will “achieve this together.”
Bruce County is finalizing the Class EA Study this summer and will publish the Environmental Study Report when complete.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2022.
The old Teeswater River Bridge is an 85 year old, 3-span concrete T-beam bridge that was constructed in 1935.
