May 26, 2009

Chaudière Bridge re-opens after $800,000 in repairs

KORKY KOROLUK

correspondent

OTTAWA

The Chaudière Bridge over the Ottawa River between the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau, Que., has reopened, ending, for the time being, speculation that a replacement might be necessary.

The bridge — one of just five river crossings in Ottawa — was closed last December, after inspection revealed deterioration of the masonry in two of its stone arches.

It was re-opened a week later, but traffic was limited to just one lane in each direction, and no heavy vehicles were allowed to use it.

More inspections followed in the following weeks led to the decision to spend about $800,000 on repairs, including replacement of some stone work and repointing the masonry. That work is now complete.

Pierre Vaillancourt, regional director for Public Works, said that a detailed structural analysis had been completed of the two arches. Normal inspections will continue to be done, and repairs made as needed, he said.

The bridge closure snarled traffic in the downtown core, since trucks and buses that would normally have used the bridge had to be detoured to a bridge in the east end of the city core.

The bridge is made up of eight spans that leapfrog from island to island across the river.

The two arches in question were built in 1826-28 as part of the original chain of bridges known collectively as the Chaudière Bridge.

It was originally known as the Union Bridge to mark the fact that it was the first permanent land link between Upper and Lower Canada.

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