THUNDER BAY – The City of Thunder Bay is hoping to access hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal support to build two new pedestrian-cyclist bridges in the Lakehead University area.
The bridges will use repurposed girders salvaged from the Edward Street Bridge when it was replaced last year.
That will save the city significant amounts of money, and reduce the carbon footprint of the new structures, said mobility coordinator Darrik Smith.
The city plans to build a bridge crossing the McIntyre River in the area of the Lakehead University Fieldhouse, connecting to an existing trail running behind a residence area known as Deer Lake Ridge.
The second bridge would connect a trail running through George Burke Park to John Street, in the area of Bishop E.Q. Jennings school.
Both projects are highlighted as priorities in the city’s active transportation plan, Smith said.
On Monday, staff will seek approval from city council to apply for assistance from the Infrastructure Canada Active Transportation Fund.
The city estimates the total cost of the projects at roughly $600,000. Its 2022 budget includes $75,000 for design work for the projects, and a projected $500,000 investment in 2023.
The Active Transportation Fund covers up to 60 per cent of capital costs for municipal infrastructure projects that help communities shift away from cars and toward active transportation.
The $400 million federal fund presents a rare funding opportunity focused exclusively on active transportation, said Smith.
Construction would likely proceed in 2023, if the city were successful in securing funding, but the program guidelines don’t require projects to be completed until 2026, he said.
