Inspections close two pedestrian bridges in Sudbury

The city has closed two pedestrian bridges – one in Coniston and the other in Sudbury -- after routine inspections uncovered problems.

The bridges are located on Allan Street in Coniston and Kingsmount Boulevard in Sudbury. According to a release from the city, the bridges were closed after a structural engineer working for the city found “possible deficiencies with a recommendation to close these to the public pending the results of a detailed structural evaluation.

“The repair will be based upon the recommendations of the structural engineer completing the detailed structural evaluations,” the city said in a release.
The Allan Street bridge is a slab on steel girder with timber deck surface, while the Kingsmount bridge is a slab on steel girder with steel grill deck surface.

In Ontario, the Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act requires all provincial and municipal bridges be inspected every two years under direction of a professional engineer. 

Municipalities are responsible for pedestrian and vehicle bridges in their jurisdictions.  Large-sized culverts are also inspected under the same program.

The City of Greater Sudbury has 175 such structures that must be inspected every year. The city pays for an independent structural engineer to carry out the inspection of all local bridges and large culverts.