Damage is worse than expected to Mackenzie Bridge, says new report

Worse than expected: If you take the Mackenzie King Bridge to enter or exit the downtown core, it might feel like consistent work on the aging structure has lasted forever. While work was supposed to wrap up last year, it will now continue until the summer of 2027. 

Initial plans called for three sections of the bridge to be rehabilitated. As part of that $25-million work, raised cycle tracks would be installed along with wider sidewalks. There would also be work done on the joints, concrete, and waterproofing. 

So why more now? The crossing is in worse shape than expected. Components over Nicholas Street — originally labelled in “good condition” — are in an "advanced state of deterioration,” said the city. 

Parsons and Bridge Check Canada were assigned to do a detailed report of the bridge. They found cracks on the underside of the bridge deck, and the girders and piers that support it. The bridge is also suffering from "spalling" and "delamination”. 

• “When rebar corrodes inside concrete, it expands, and those expansive forces can cause concrete on the surface to fall off, and we call those spalls. If it happens over a larger area, we can sometimes call that a delamination. With the delamination, the rebar can completely separate from the concrete, and that's a very dangerous situation,” said Ted Sherwood, an associate professor in structural engineering at Carleton University, according to CBC. 

Sherwood said that, as a result, now is the best time to fix the bridge and also the cheapest because work is already underway. It’s believed that some whole sections of the traffic crossing will need to be replaced. 

A new pricetag: The extra work will cost the city an additional $5.4 million on the Mackenzie King Bridge. In the meantime, the city says the crossing is safe and can continue to be used. 

But it is causing traffic disruptions: Drivers and those who live in the area understand the need for the work to be done, but say it’s causing additional headaches for getting around. 

• “I’m a senior and I’m not very good at biking. I often will walk past some of the stuff rather than chance it, because it’s a little iffy if you’re down to a single lane,” said resident Hum-Hartley, according to CTV.