The Only Bridge Linking Eastern and Western Canada Splits in Cold Weather

[Gollums]

From CTV News:

A bridge in northern Ontario has split apart, causing a major segment of the Trans-Canada Highway to be shut down "indefinitely."

Ontario Province Police say that they received a report Sunday afternoon that the Nipigon River Bridge on Highway 11-17 -- roughly 120 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, Ont. -- had "lifted" and was blocking traffic.

When authorities arrived at the scene they found that the west side of the bridge was jutting about 60 centimetres above the road, OPP said.

No one was injured, and no vehicles were damaged as a result of the incident.

The OPP tweeted earlier Sunday that the bridge has been closed "indefinitely" in both directions for repairs.

However, the crossing remains open to pedestrian traffic.

Highway 17 is the primary route of the Trans-Canada Highway through Ontario, which is the only road that connects Eastern and Western Canada. Its closure is expected to have a major impact on surrounding communities.

In a statement, Ontario Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca confirmed that provincial engineers were on site inspecting the bridge and looking for ways to “ensure the bridge can reopen safely to traffic as soon as possible.”

Del Duca added that he’s been in touch with local politicians and OPP to ensure that surrounding communities have all the information necessary.

Nipigon Mayor Richard Harvey told The Canadian Press that engineers are working to determine extent of the damage and its cause.

"We're not sure exactly what the damage to the bridge is at this point," said Harvey.

He added that it's not clear when the crossing will reopen, and the main alternative to the route involves a long detour through the U.S.

Harvey said that municipality will examine other options in hopes of opening the bridge to at least some vehicle traffic.

"This is something that, in our emergency preparedness in this area, we have run scenarios for and we do have options on how we would fairly quickly get traffic moving if there is a more serious issue," Harvey said.

"There are alternate routes that we could, with a little bit of work, open up to get at least some traffic moving again."

The Nipigon River Bridge has recently undergone construction to add two new lanes. The project was completed in November.

In response to the closure, the nearby town of Greenstone has declared a state of emergency.

Patty Hajdu, MP for Thunder Bay-Superior North urged locals stranded by the bridge closure to call the Nipigon Community Centre for emergency lodging.

[Gamdwelf]

How are canadians going to follow the only road now?

[Wyrt]

So, does that mean half of Canada is up for grabs?

[Vandexander]

Link, with pictures:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunde...nada-1.3397831

[Gamdwelf]

Link, with pictures:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunde...nada-1.3397831

From the article lol.

A newly constructed bridge in northern Ontario has heaved apart, indefinitely closing the Trans-Canada highway — the only road

[Milchshake]

So, does that mean half of Canada is up for grabs?

If only British Columbia would elope with Washington state.

[Kaleredar]

Uh oh. British Canada and French Canada will be divided by a body of water?

How soon until the war starts?

[rayden54]

Why would there only be one road?

[apepi]

Mr. Trudeau, Tear down this bridge!

[Tradewind]

It's not the "only road" though, just means detouring a fuck of a long way north or south.

[Gheld]

Why would there only be one road?

Because traffic is so sparse in that part of the country that there's not enough demand for more than one highway. The first big city on the eastern side is Sudbury, the first big city on the western side is Thunder bay... they are about a 12 hour drive apart. The first provincial capital on the western side is Winnipeg, the first provincial capital on the east side is Toronto which is about a 24 hour drive through pretty much every type of terrain imaginable, down one of the top 10 deadliest highways in the country...

So the vast majority of people going across that expanse fly.

- - - Updated - - -

There's quite a lot of commodities that are shipped exclusively by truck down that stretch though lol.

[Kaleredar]

There's quite a lot of commodities that are shipped exclusively by truck down that stretch though lol.

Not the maple syrup!

[rayden54]

It still sounds like incredibly poor planning to me. Admittedly, most people don't expect the road to spontaneously break apart in the middle like that, but it just sounds like asking for trouble. How do they do construction? What do they do if there's a traffic accident?

Are there no people who live nearby that need to get across there regularly?

[Gheld]

It still sounds like incredibly poor planning to me. Admittedly, most people don't expect the road to spontaneously break apart in the middle like that, but it just sounds like asking for trouble. How do they do construction? What do they do if there's a traffic accident?

Are there no people who live nearby that need to get across there regularly?

There are some smaller towns and cities. The fact is though most business supply chains are isolated to either side anyway. It's mostly travelers that will be stranded.

Commercial goods can just be shipped by rail instead.

The population density is so low on that stretch that they do construction by closing it down to 1 lane for both directions and use a traffic light or pilot vehicles to guide traffic past intermittently and if they have to close the highway for a crash they'll inconvenience less than a dozen people an hour.

[wowaccounttom]

How are canadians going to follow the only road now?

lol no way.. they only have 1 road linking all that land?

is it like the frozen brazilian rain forest over there? where are the roads!!!??!

[announced]

lol no way.. they only have 1 road linking all that land?

is it like the frozen brazilian rain forest over there? where are the roads!!!??!

the song is kind of true, Canada has the TransCanada #1 which links all provinces together except the top three north ones.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Canada_Highway

although the bridge breaking is a rather small inconvenience, its still very unusual to see this occur.

[Taurous]

Well shit, my new laptop is being repaired in Ontario, probably not gunna get here for another week

[Independent voter]

Saw a stat once that 90% of Canadians live within 30 minute drive of the border. If that's true one highway running east to west would be fine.

[announced]

Saw a stat once that 90% of Canadians live within 30 minute drive of the border. If that's true one highway running east to west would be fine.

its true. approx 87% of all Canadians live within 160km or 100 miles to the border, the transCanada highway therefore links almost every province together and as an extension approx all major cities and towns.

[Gheld]

Saw a stat once that 90% of Canadians live within 30 minute drive of the border. If that's true one highway running east to west would be fine.

And because of the way the border goes all wonky to account for the great lakes most people who drive between eastern and western Canada but don't have any stops between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie will just drive through the states instead.

The logistical nightmare will be commercial trucks that are already stranded there, who were intending to go through that pass whose owners/operators might not be licensed to operate in the United States.