Arlington Bridge replacement would cost $166M, take 6 years: report
Plan calls for new 2-lane bridge on site of current one
A new Arlington Bridge could take six years to build and cost a little more than $166 million, a city report says.
That's just over half the cost of an earlier estimate, done in 2019, that pegged the price at nearly $320 million. That design had three lanes of traffic — two northbound and one southbound — while the new one just has two lanes.
"It's just a much smaller footprint of our bridge than the 2019 study," Brad Neirinck, engineering manager with the city, told reporters Monday.
The city plans to build the new bridge right where the current one spans the Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway yard, which means the existing bridge will need to be demolished. The city had hoped to extend the life of the existing bridge, but an assessment this summer found that wouldn't be possible.
"Once we decided to look at replacing the bridge again, we knew that we could be on the existing alignment which made the bridge shorter. It became ... a narrower bridge and much more modest project," said Neirinck.
The option recommended by the city involves closing Dufferin Avenue at the bridge and full or partial acquisition of 17 properties. An alternative plan that would have kept Dufferin open would have required the city to acquire 13 more properties and cost another $8 million.
If approved by council, the southern alignment of the bridge would remain roughly where the current one is, but the northern portion would extended to approximately halfway between Dufferin and Stella Avenues.
The report says the closure of the bridge has had significant impacts on the closest alternative routes crossing the rail yard.
Morning peak traffic at the McPhillips Street underpass now lasts an hour longer, and afternoon peak time lasts two hours longer. The underpass was operating at capacity during afternoon rush hours before the closure, and is now 25 per cent over capacity.
Traffic on the Slaw Rebchuk Bridge has increased by approximately 5,000 vehicles per day.
The new bridge will enable Winnipeg Transit buses and some trucks to get over, creating a new connection between the north and south parts of the city, said public works committee chair Coun. Janice Lukes. The angle of the current bridge is too steep for buses.
It will also include two multi-use pathways on either side to accommodate active transportation.
"It is really important that we move on this bridge, because you can see the volumes of traffic," Lukes said.
More funding needed
Mayor Scott Gillingham says the lower cost is great, but it's still beyond the city's budget alone.
"That's why we talk about the need for a new funding model from the province of Manitoba," Gillingham said.
"This project also competes with, in a way, other important infrastructure projects, including the need to redo ... the St. James Bridge."
The estimated cost of the new bridge does not include $27 million in estimated interest charges the city would need to incur if it financed the project entirely through debt, for a total cost of $193.3 million. The report notes that amount exceeds the $149 million the city has remaining until it exceeds its council-imposed debt limit.
Speaking to reporters at the annual general meeting of the Assembly of Manitoba Municipalities, Premier Wab Kinew said the provincial government would "listen to the city's approach," adding this is why the province has launched a study on relocating rail lines in Winnipeg.
City councillor Ross Eadie says the project is not just important to people living in the North End.
"This is all of north and southwest Winnipeg," he said.
"I heard some people calling the McPhillips underpass a parking lot. And the 5,000 extra cars on Salter, It's only going to get more."
The city is facing financial challenges, which makes proceeding with work on the new bridge difficult. A budget update last week warned the city may have to carry a $9.1 million deficit over to next year's budget.
Design work may begin next year, but it could be while before construction begins, unless other governments commit funding, Lukes said.
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With files from Bartley Kives