Thunder Bay says it soon expects timeline from CN to reopen James Street bridge
City manager Norm Gale confirmed city expects answer by July 16
City officials in Thunder Bay, Ont., say they're expecting to know by mid-July what CN Rail's intentions are in terms of repairing and reopening the James Street swing bridge.
In June, the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that CN Rail must repair and reopen the bridge between Thunder Bay and Fort William First Nation to vehicle traffic after the panel of judges found the railway breached an agreement dating back more than 100 years.
The appeal court's ruling declared that CN breached the 1906 agreement, ordered the railway to reopen the bridge for vehicle traffic and maintain it in accordance with the agreement.
The judges' decision, however, did not lay out timelines for when those repairs must take place.
On Wednesday, Thunder Bay city manager Norm Gale confirmed that the city has communicated with CN since the ruling and asked that the railway provide a "definitive timeline" for repairs and for when the company expects the bridge to reopen.
"We have expressed to CN the critical importance to the city and to [Fort William First Nation] to have the bridge reopened to vehicular traffic," Gale said in an email, adding that the city expects to hear back by July 16.
Following the appeal court's ruling, CN officials said the railway was reviewing the decision and potential next steps but said that the company "wishes to continue to work with the city and Fort William First Nation to try and find a solution to the issue of the James Street swing bridge."
The bridge over the Kaministiquia River, which CN owns, was damaged by a 2013 fire and was subsequently closed to vehicular traffic. Trains resumed using the structure days later.