The Teeswater River Bridge on Bruce Road 3 in Paisley, Ontario was constructed in 1935 and, after providing over 85 years of service to the community, is now scheduled for replacement with construction to begin on Monday, May 2, 2022.
The construction project will also include work by the Municipality of Arran-Elderslie, scheduled for 2023 on Queen Street, north of the bridge. This infrastructure work will include water mains, sanitary and storm sewers, sidewalk rehabilitation, and road paving.
During the construction, the artistic Village of Paisley and its creative businesses will still be open to experience shopping and dining.
A variety of events and festivals in Paisley are also planned for the coming year.
Bruce County completed a Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) process to consider options associated with replacement of the Teeswater River Bridge. Paisley and area residents and businesses were invited to explore two virtual public information sessions about the replacement of the Teeswater River Bridge, located on Bruce Road 3 in Paisley. There were no negative impacts identified with the project that could not be mitigated. A preferred alternative for the bridge design and detour has now been selected.
Bruce County Warden Janice Jackson says that, “The County is collaborating with our municipal partners to provide necessary infrastructure enhancements to support shared industries and our growing economy. This bridge replacement on Bruce Road 3 will provide improved safety, services, and accessibility for the public long into the future.”
The proposed bridge will be a two-span structure with wider sidewalks and viewing platforms on both sides. The railing will also be designed with a lower parapet wall and decorative railing to allow unobstructed views of the river. An in-town temporary detour route was selected for local traffic to minimize impacts to residents and the commercial district during reconstruction of the bridge.
For larger view, Click on Image
The existing bridge location will be closed from July 1, 2022 to approximately August 31, 2023 during construction. The project will start in May with the construction of a Temporary Bridge that will connect Goldie Street and Church Street, over the Teeswater River, and serve as the connecting detour for motorists and pedestrians in Paisley. Signage will be in place. Paisley businesses will remain open and fully accessible.
Semi-trucks, tractor trailers, and agricultural equipment are required to avoid crossing at the Teeswater River Bridge in Paisley during the construction period due to the tight turns of the in-town detour. These large vehicles are encouraged to move east-west using Highway 40, Highway 9, and Highway 4, and north-south using Highway 19, Highway 10, and Highway 21. Businesses using large trucks for shipments and deliveries are encouraged to make alternative route plans to avoid the in-town detour.
The new Teeswater River Bridge being constructed will be an integral abutment style bridge with two 23 metre spans with a middle pier. The design will allow for more river flow clearance and will have a service life of 75 years.
Projected Timeline
- Temporary Bridge Construction – May 2022 to July 2022
- Temporary Bridge in Operation – July 2022 to August 2023
- Old Bridge Demolition/New Bridge Construction – July 2022 to August 2023
- New Infrastructure Construction North of New Bridge – Starting in 2023
- Temporary Bridge Demolition – Starting in September 2023
Paisley entrepreneurs and business owners looking for free guidance, resources, and supports should reach out to Jenelle Bannon, Business Development Coordinator. Book a time to chat with Jenelle.
There will be a community meeting on Thursday, April 28, 2022 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at the Paisley Town Hall Building/Royal Canadian Legion (338 Goldie Street, Paisley). This meeting for residents and businesses will highlight key project details, construction timelines, and business supports.
Looby Construction Ltd. is the contractor for this construction project and BM Ross is the Project Engineer. Partial funding for this project is provided by the Canada Community Building Fund (CCBF).