THUNDER BAY – A border business is warning customers to expect potentially significant delays at the Pigeon River international crossing on Tuesday.
Ryden’s Border Store alerted customers via social media on Monday that concrete pouring work set to start the next day on the Pigeon River Bridge could hold up traffic.
Owner Lori Boomer said she had verified that information with Minnesota State authorities before letting her Canadian customers know.
“We just put it out there so if you were just coming for a parcel, you know, you don’t want to sit in line for an hour-and-a-half – both ways, probably,” she said.
The 90-minute figure was cited to her by customs staff, Boomer said.
Workers were expected to be flagging traffic from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday at the site of the bridge, which is undergoing a months-long refurbishment.
In a brief statement, the Ministry of Transportation Ontario confirmed crews would be pouring a new concrete deck for the bridge on Tuesday, weather permitting.
"Traffic will be managed by temporary traffic signals," a ministry spokesperson said. "No additional impacts to traffic are anticipated."
The MTO encouraged travellers to check Ontario511.ca for up-to-date information on construction and traffic impacts. No information on the bridge work was posted to the service as of Monday.
The work is part of a $6.5-million (USD) project to refurbish the decades-old bridge that began earlier this year.
That includes replacing the concrete deck and approach slabs, bearings, and barrier wall system, repairing abutments and wingwalls, and installing new lighting.
The bridge is operated jointly by the Province of Ontario and State of Minnesota, which will share the cost of the project equally.
Boomer reported the bridge project, which has reduced traffic to one lane over the bridge, has so far caused some delays on weekends, but minimal to no impact to traffic on weekdays.
The 114-metre (375-foot) Pigeon River Bridge was constructed at its current location in 1962.
This story has been updated with information received from the Ministry of Transportation Ontario after publication.
