$224.5-million B.C. bridge replacement announced

SICAMOUS, B.C. — A British Columbia bridge past its useful life will soon be replaced by one of two new options.

Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Francois-Philippe Champagne and B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Claire Trevena announced recently that $224.5-million in joint funding will be used to replace the R.W. Bruhn Bridge along Highway 1 in Sicamous.

“Replacing the Bruhn Bridge and widening the highway is important for safety and is integral to our government’s commitment to four-laning the Trans-Canada Highway. We also want to ensure local communities benefit from public infrastructure spending, so our Trans-Canada upgrades will bring job and training opportunities to people in the region,” Trevena said.

Before the end of the year, one of two bridges options will be chosen; a five-lane bridge replacement or a four-lane bridge replacement along with a new Main Street bridge. Both options include improvements to the bridge approaches.

The Government of Canada is contributing up to $91.08 million to the project through the New Building Canada Fund – Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – National and Regional Projects, and the Province of B.C. is providing $133.4 million.

“This vital bridge replacement along Highway 1 in Sicamous will ensure residents, tourists and businesses can move safely through the region for years to come,” Champagne said.

Once complete, an Infrastructure Canada release stated, “the new R.W. Bruhn Bridge will significantly improve traffic flow and driver safety, providing a reliable efficient crossing along this vital transportation route for residents, visitors and businesses for another 75 years.”