The University Drive Bridge will re-open next month, but one week later than originally planned.
Western University officials announced Wednesday the narrow two-lane bridge will see the return of vehicle traffic on March 8, nearly four and a half months after it was closed for repairs.
The bridge's re-opening comes a week later than what was initially expected.
“Early February’s severe weather — including freezing rain, snow and extreme cold — slowed the pace of repairs and delayed the reopening by a week," Western’s Associate Vice-President of Facilities Management Elizabeth Krische said in a statement. "Particularly during the freezing rain, work had to slow down or even halt for a few days to ensure worker safety."
Crews have been working 10 to 12 hours a day in order to make up for the time missed due to the wintry conditions.
Bearings on both ends of the 95-year-old bridge have been replaced, but there are still 590 six-centimetre-long rivets to be removed before the centre-span bearings can be replaced.
The bridge, perched over the Thames River just west of Richmond Street, was closed to all but pedestrians and cyclists in October. An inspection had found deterioration in the bearings that help the bridge to adjust to various weights in fluctuating temperatures.
When the bridge is re-opened a new 12-tonne load limit will be in place, prohibiting fire trucks, and articulated London Transit buses from crossing the structure.
The bridge's closure led to traffic woes in the north-end by forcing vehicles entering or leaving campus to use Windermere Road, creating a regular bottleneck. London Transit buses also had to be rerouted around the closure.
