Key rail bridge reopens after being damaged by wildfire
110-metre bridge over Steen River, Alta., burned down in May, reopened Aug. 2
A key bridge that connects the Northwest Territories to southern Canada has been rebuilt after it was damaged by a fire.
The bridge over Steen River, Alta., burned down during wildfires at the end of May. The closure threatened a vital resupply route for the territory's remote communities. The rail line runs to Hay River, N.W.T., with rail cars shipping diesel fuel north to barges that carry it to communities that rely on diesel generators for electricity.
CN Rail has confirmed that the 110-metre bridge reopened on Aug. 2, about two weeks ahead of schedule. It's now fully operational.
"CN is proud to have helped rebuild northern communities after a difficult fire season," said Raj Gupta, vice-president of system engineering at CN, in an emailed statement.
"This rail bridge is the commercial link for many communities near Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories and is key to their economic development."
Back in May, the territory's infrastructure minister said the fire had warped the railroad and repairs would be significant.
The deck of the bridge was slated to be replaced, and approaches to it were rebuilt with steel and concrete.
Imperial Oil and Suncor contributed to the rebuild.