CORNWALL – The replacement of the County Road 3 bridge in Inkerman has been postponed in favour of rehabilitating another bridge.
SDG Counties council approved deferring the Inkerman Bridge replacement planned for this year to 2025 in favour of rehabilitating the Oak Valley bridge on County Road 5.
Mike Jans, manager of infrastructure for the Counties told councillors that the move is a way to prevent having to do a more extensive replacement of the CR5 bridge. He estimated that there could be a cost savings for the Inkerman project if deferred, citing a more competitive bidding process with the Martintown bridge replacement project this year. That tender process saw $700K saved this year compared the bidding process in 2023.
Councillors expressed some concern about deferring the Inkerman project for another year. The Inkerman bridge is scheduled for another bridge inspection this summer.
Alternate Councillor Alison McDonald (North Stormont) asked what would happen if the Inkerman bridge failed its inspection.
Jans told council that the bridge could be posted with a weight restriction until its replacement occurred.
The two bridges, Inkerman and Oak Valley, are primary detour routes.
The Oak Valley bridge was built in 1984. The cost for the proposed rehabilitation project is $1.2 million. If the change in bridge project priorities was not adopted, Jans said the earliest the Oak Valley bridge could be rehabilitated was 2026 – at which time the rehabiliation may become a full replacement project.
Jans explained in his report to council that the Counties should still continue with pre-purchasing the girders for the Inkerman bridge replacement project this year, at a cost of about $300K.
Council voted to support deferring the Inkerman bridge one more year, and moving Oak Valley on to the front burner for this year. Three councillors (Bryan McGillis, Andrew Guindon, and McDonald) voted against the change.