Construction on the Lizard Creek bridge, located approximately four kilometres west of Fernie, is set to resume towards the end of April.
Projex Infrastructure, the company awarded the project by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said that they are “expecting to mobilize to site around the end of this month to continue with bridge and road construction works.”
Originally, construction on the bridge was supposed to be completed in fall of 2019. However, the project was extended and is now expected to be completed this spring.
The Lizard Creek bridge was originally constructed in 1953 and since it is located on a major highway, was in need of expansion and repair. A temporary two lane detour with a reduced speed limit has been in place while construction on the bridge is ongoing.
The new bridge will offer safer crossings for not only motorists but pedestrians, cyclists and wildlife as well. When construction on the bridge began in 2019, minister of transportation and infrastructure, Claire Trevena, said that safety was of the utmost importance.
“Peoples’ safety is my top priority, and including a multi-use path protected by a barrier will make a big difference to everyone who uses this part of the highway,” she said. “Replacing the narrow bridge gives us an opportunity to make sure the link works well for everyone, whether they are walking, cycling or driving through the area.”
The completed bridge will feature wider lanes as well as two metre paved shoulders and a separated multi-use pathway. It will also provide adequate space for wildlife crossings underneath the structure.
For now, the temporary two lane detour remains in place and drivers are reminded to use caution when in the construction zone, especially since workers will soon be back on site after the winter construction shut down.
Projex Infrastructure will be letting key stakeholders know about any “ maintenance and construction delays due to flaggers being on site” as the project moves forward this spring.
editor@thefreepress.ca
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