Help is on the way when it comes to paying for rehabilitation work on the Lord Selkirk Bridge in Wallaceburg.
The province has announced that it will be cutting a $3-million cheque for the project through its Connecting Links program. That program provides funding for improvements to roads and bridges that run through municipalities and connect to provincial highways. In this case, the bridge connects two sections of Hwy. 40 through Wallaceburg.
The funding covers up to 90% of eligible project costs, to a maximum of $3-million.
Chatham-Kent's Director of Engineering and Transportation Adam Sullo says municipal officials are ecstatic to hear their application was approved.
"I think it's really important for everyone to realize that this is the third year of the program and we have received the maximum twice in three years," says Sullo. "We're very happy that the province recognizes that we're doing everything we can to manage not just our connecting links, but all of our infrastructure."
Chatham-Kent received $3-million for a $4.7-million project on McNaughton Ave. and Murray St. in Wallaceburg in 2017. Similarly, the money the municipality is receiving for work on the Lord Selkirk Bridge is also expected to cover a substantial portion of the rehabilitation costs.
"It's going to pay for approximately... 70% of the project," says Sullo. "That definitely takes the burden off of the local taxpayer -- it's still taxpayer money one way or the other, but certainly it'll help the local situation."
Sullo says the municipality already carried out some repairs on the Lord Selkirk Bridge in January to address some immediate issues, but the majority of the work is expected to start later this year.
At this point, construction is tentatively scheduled to start in October and wrap up in the spring of 2019. The work will take place over the winter so that it doesn't interfere with boat traffic.
