After being closed at approximately 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 11th, the bridge crossing the largest river entering the Great Lakes, the Nipigon, has been reopened to one lane of traffic. The bridge was closed yesterday afternoon when the decking at the west end of the bridge lifted by some 60 cm. above the level of the highway leading up to the structure. A couple of eastbound vehicles struck the raised portion of the bridge and one or two westbound vehicles also drove over the drop before the bridge could be closed. This new suspension bridge, opened in November 2015, is the only suspension bridge in Ontario.
The bridge is a vital link between western and eastern Canada. Whether travelling the northern route through Greenstone (Geraldton, Longlac, Nakina) or the southern route along Lake Superior, all travellers must cross the bridge. Transport trucks and other vehicles were packed in communities like Nipigon, Terrace Bay, Schreiber and Greenstone as officials determined a course of action to reopen the bridge. Area communities have taken steps to provide shelter and other services to travellers.
There is no guarantee that the bridge will remain open as engineers may need to effect repairs. A parallel bridge, just upstream, was used until very recently and is being demolished. Nipigon Mayor Richard Harvey says this older bridge can no longer be used. Read more about the Nipigon River bridge situation in a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation article…