THUNDER BAY -- A pair of pedestrian bridges are going up and over as part of Golf Links Road's continued reconstruction.
Part of the $3.8 million project to extend four-laning, which started at Golf Links Road and the Harbour Expressway in 2013, to John Street includes a new bridge over the McIntyre River.
The original two-lane bridge included a sidewalk, which would make the new bridge too wide.
So instead a pair of pedestrian bridges on the east and west sides are being installed starting Wednesday.
Northwest Installations was on scene with a pair of cranes to hoist the east-side bridge's girders, weighing 8,000 pounds each, after three weeks of work for Bruno's Contracting to lay the foundations. Supervisor Jim Borchardt said it's not everyday crews get to work on a project that saw them lay the foundation six feet under the water.
"It's kind of a unique experience," he said. "It's something out of the ordinary."
Borchardt said the west pedestrian bridge, expected to be hoisted Thursday, will take more work as there are hydro wires in the way.
One at a time, the two girders will be hoisted up and over the wires, which will have the power turned off, before being put to rest on the foundations.
The roadwork is expected to be complete around Sept. 15.
