NIPIGON, Ont. -- It’s not yet clear what caused the Nipigon River Bridge to split only 42 days after it opened, nor has the province determined who will pay for its repair.
Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca toured the bridge site on Wednesday, four days after Trans-Canada traffic stalled for 17 hours due to a broken expansion joint.
Del Duca revealed no timeline has been set for the forensic investigation into what caused bolts to break that were holding the girder to a bearing on the expansion joint.
“I don’t have a specific timeline on how long it will take for that analysis to be completed,” Del Duca said from the foot of the bridge.
“I know from our perspective at the ministry, it’s important for everyone here in this community and beyond that we have accuracy with respect to the information that comes back and to make sure we get it right. It will take some time.”
Over the next two days, the ministry will conduct a search for laboratories that can test the bolts. By Monday, options will take shape for opening the bridge to two lanes.
Electricians are also expected on site over the coming days and the ministry committed to lighting the bridge next week.
Critics have questioned the province’s decision to contract engineers from Spain to design the bridge but Del Duca defended his government’s procurement process and the safeguards built within his ministry’s bureaucracy.
“We absolutely have standards in Ontario,” he said.
“There are a number of aspects to any form of infrastructure construction that we do: bridges, roads highways, public transit, whatever we’re talking about, wherever we are in the province. It’s important to remember there are a number of partners in this entire process, including design engineers who are regulated here in the province of Ontario.”
The Nipigon River Bridge is the only point along the Trans-Canada Highway that has no alternate route for passage.
Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Michael Gravelle pointed out that was the impetus for the $106-million cable-stayed bridge, which he calls the “crown jewel” of Highway 11-17’s four-lane construction between Thunder Bay and Nipigon.
“Quite frankly, one of the arguments was that there’s snowstorms that close down the highway for periods of time because it was the only route and certainly I’m grateful the commitment has been made to four-lane the highway,” he said.
“If this had happened on one side of the bridge when the other (old) one was in place, we wouldn’t be having the same conversation.”
The mirror half of the cable-stayed bridge is slated for completion in 2017.
