City seeks heritage approval to convert Black Bridge Road bridge to pedestrian-only use

The city will spend about $600,000 to convert the old Black Bridge Road bridge into a cycling and pedestrian crossing next year as part of a $20.6 million plan to build a new bridge and realign the road starting this year.

The city's heritage advisory committee will be asked to sign off on the plan this week in advance of final council approval on a project to decommission the 1916 truss bridge over the Speed River to vehicular traffic.

Last month, the city's consultant submitted a heritage permit application to the heritage planning department outlining proposed alterations, including drawings and a condition survey report.

The bridge is protected under the Ontario Heritage Act and is part of a cultural heritage landscape, which includes the adjacent mill, farm, dams and related infrastructure.

The bridge gets excessive traffic for a single-lane bridge.

The city has considered replacing the single-lane, weight restricted bridge for years and has spent about $60,000 on supporting studies, plans and design so far.

A 2017 heritage impact assessment and 2022 strategic conservation plan both recommended it should be converted to a pedestrian bridge.

At least three times over the last decade, twice in 2016 and once in 2021, drivers ignored height restrictions and crashed into the bridge, necessitating extensive repairs.

The November 2021 crash involved an 18-wheeler transport.

Most of the rehabilitation project will address damage from that collision to strengthen certain members of the old truss.

The concrete footings are also severely spalled and crumbling in places, the railings are rusted, rivets are pitted and some braces are weakened.

Work to convert it to a multi-use trail involves constructing new concrete footings on the approaches, extending the ends of the wingwalls, installing cover plates over the expansion joints and adding new cycle-height railings.

Heritage planning staff support all of the proposed alterations with the idea that it will extend the life of the original structure for future generations to enjoy.

Once approved, work to build the new bridge is expected to begin later this year followed by repairs and alterations to the truss bridge next year.