Pre-construction work has started on the Taylor Rd. Bridge, which paves the way for the main project to begin on Monday, April 15.
Rob Anderson, manager of infrastructure engineering for the District of Muskoka, says the first phase of the project will see the 60-year-old bridge down to one lane with only westbound traffic allowed through. He explains eastbound traffic will be detoured to Entrance Dr., then Cedar Ln., which will take them to the Taylor Rd. roundabout. Anderson believes it will be a four-to-five-minute detour.
“There isn’t the space on the eastbound side of the bridge to be queuing vehicles,” adds Anderson, explaining it would likely cause traffic to back up over the train crossing and onto nearby Manitoba St.
He says pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the project.
Not far from where the work will be taking place is 225 Taylor Rd, which houses both the Bracebridge Fire Department and Muskoka Paramedic Services. “We’ve been working with the first responders since the start of this job,” says Anderson, pledging first responders will be able to respond to calls quickly.
Between Monday and the end of June or the start of July, Anderson says the surface of the bridge will be repaired, a new sewer system will be connected, and the water main will be replaced.
“I know users are well aware of the audible sound and the bounce you kind of get going over them,” says Anderson about the bridge.
Meanwhile, the sewer and water mains are out-of-date and need to be replaced. Anderson points out that the sewer, which runs from Front St. and Bird Ln. to the end of the bridge, is “undersized to handle the expected capacity of residents east of the bridge.”
Anderson says the second phase will start soon after the first half of the project ends and will see repairs done on the underside of the bridge.
He explains the bridge will be open in both directions most of the time.
“We’ve combined all these scopes into a one-and-done approach to minimize the impacts on residents the best we can,” says Anderson.
UrbanLink Civil Ltd., based in Beamsville, Ont., was awarded the contract in March 2024. They submitted a bid of $4,201,400 to do the work.