FORT FRANCES—The Ministry of Transportation is poised to start rehabilitation work on the Noden Causeway here this winter, marking the beginning of a large-scale project that will take several years to complete.
“We are planning to install a new precast concrete deck which is wider than the present one, new expansion joints, and a new railing system, as well as repair substructure concrete,” MTO regional director Larry Lambert explained Monday.
“We are also planning to repair corrosion that has been uncovered in the 1,120 steel piles supporting the bridge,” he added.
“Most of the engineering has been completed, but we are fine-tuning some details and carrying out some additional field investigations,” Lambert noted.
Lambert said the MTO currently is tendering a trial pile repair contract in which they’ll experiment with various repair methods in order to select the most appropriate one(s).
This trial work will take place late this fall or early this winter, with the price being determined by the tender.
Lambert noted no significant traffic disruptions are anticipated with the initial trial contract, but future main repair contracts will require a single lane operation for significant periods in the summer.
No winter traffic restrictions are expected.
Just as the initial construction of the Noden Causeway was a major undertaking in the late 1950s and early ’60s, Lambert said this rehabilitation work will take a number of years.
“The repair work is very complex due to both the size of the bridge and unique nature of some of the work,” he remarked.
“It is difficult to establish firm timelines at this point, however, it is reasonable to expect that overall completion of the work could take four-six summers.
“Working in Northern Ontario poses significant weather-related construction challenges at the best of times—but even more so at [the] Noden Causeway,” Lambert added.
Work on the original Noden Causeway project, named after former Rainy River MPP W.G. Noden, started back in May, 1958. It was opened in June, 1965.
Estimated to cost $5 million when it began, the original price tag ended up being $7.43 million.
Work on repairing it will cost considerably more.
(Fort Frances Times)
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
