THUNDER BAY -- It appears CN Rail is moving forward with plans to permanently eliminate two-way vehicle traffic on the James Street Swing Bridge.
Sources have confirmed to Dougall Media that the railway, which owns the century-old bridge, has hired a third-party contractor to build a fence that would prevent vehicles from driving down the two lanes.
Crews were working on the bridge Monday morning, installing steel poles down the length of the west lane.
It is believed pedestrians would be able to access the old vehicle lanes.
CN had previously made offers to the city that would see the bridge reopen to vehicular traffic, with cars sharing the centre lane with the railway.
This latest development seems to be a step in that direction, which is something Thunder Bay Mayor Keith Hobbs does not support.
“As far as I’m concerned I would like to see the two cantilevered sections repaired and vehicular traffic going down two ways. I think it’s going to be a nightmare down the middle,” he said.
“It’s a resolve and it will open the bridge, if that’s what council decides. However, I can see the traffic nightmare.”
CN had revised the latest offer on Jan. 15, which is resulting in a one-week delay in presenting the offer to council as it has to be reviewed by the city solicitor and administration.
Hobbs said there was no mention of the work being done on the bridge Monday in that revision. He added he first became aware of the extent of the work when shown a photograph of the scene by TBNewswatch.
“When I look at that picture it’s a provocative move by CN and they’re in control. It’s their bridge. However, they do have a 1906 agreement and I’m going to keep stressing that,” Hobbs said.
“My patience has worn thin a long time ago and I want this bridge opened, as does Fort William First Nation and a lot of people in our community.”
The installation was also a surprise to Ian Bannon, the director of lands and properties for Fort William First Nation.
He too became aware of the construction when contacted by Dougall Media.
"We have not received any information in this particular matter. We're unaware of what the long-term strategy is or the purpose of the fencing," Bannon said.
"However, at this stage it's something that can be interpreted as a more permanent means of keeping the bridge closed. It totally hinders vehicle traffic by the looks of the installation."
Though he acknowledged the First Nation is not a signatory to the 1906 agreement, the lack of communication is troubling
He said Fort William believed there was an understanding that they would be kept updated on new developments.
"Hearing this news, coming from the media rather than CN, it is a little more frustrating," he said.
Hobbs said he would support reopening the bridge to vehicular traffic down the centre lane only if it was a temporary fix.
He is confident heading to the courts is a viable solution if developments keep progressing down this latest path, declaring “the bridge will be open one day, whether it is court ordered or negotiated.”
“There are always legal avenues and that’s the last resort,” he said. “It’s an expense to do that. However, we’re not taking it on the chin from a big corporation who doesn’t want to do their due diligence.”
The federal government has reportedly offered to mediate through the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development ministries.
He confirmed a recent offer included money from the federal government and said the majority of the funding towards a new bridge, if that were to be decided, would have to come from senior levels of government.
Concrete barriers have been set up since the Oct. 29, 2013 fire that resulted in the closure to vehicular traffic. Rail traffic resumed days after the fire.
Mulitple attempts to reach CN officials for contact were unsuccessful.
