Some motorists not obeying load restrictions

There have been reports of vehicles driving over the Keewatin Channel Bridge in excess of the weight limits.

Work is being carried out underneath the bridge, and the load restriction is 8,500 pounds.

Greg Breen is the Director of Engineering and Infrastructure and says the bridge is still safe to drive on despite the restrictions.

“You know it’s unfortunate that not all drivers are obeying the signage that’s in place,” Breen told city council during the Committee of the Whole Meeting this week.

“But, when it does happen, I don’t think there are any concerns from anyone on our teams, that there’s actually a safety concern with the bridge.”

Breen the load restrictions are just put on as a precaution.

“There is a very conservative approach to bridge design and that means, that although there may be a certain load restriction on a particular bridge, the bridge is always designed to accommodate significantly more than that load is.”

Breen says the city really can’t enforce the weight restriction because there is no by-law in place.