Portage Bay Bridge expected to open by end of the year

The Portage Bay Bridge in Keewatin should be open by the end of the year.

The bridge was closed to traffic last October due to concerns about it’s safety.

Director of Engineering and Infrastructure Greg Breen says they were able to piggy-back on steel work being done on the Keewatin Channel Bridge.

“We’re actually able to build the Portage Bay steel repairs into that overall project through a change order with the contractor,” Breen told council this week at its Committee of the Whole meeting.

“So, it will be the same contractor, with their steel sub-contractor, working on both of the bridges.”

Breen says work on the Portage Bay Bridge should start next month and take a couple of months to complete.

“We’re anticipating work to start on the Portage Bay Bridge in October and take us into November…possibly into December. But the idea is that we are going to have the bridge open by the end of this year.”

Breen says once repairs are carried out, the bridge should be able to be used for at least the next five years, until a more permanent solution is found.