Although crews have been working on preparations to build a new Walterdale Bridge, the next step in construction is set to begin in more than a week, and bring with it the closure of a major roadway.
Starting July 15, Queen Elizabeth Park Road will be closed so the roadway can be realigned with the placement of the new bridge.
“When Queen E Park Road is closed, basically Walterdale Road will remain open,” Allan Bartman with the City of Edmonton said. “Either next year or the year after, we’ll close Walterdale Hill Road and Queen E will remain open.”
Despite the closure, officials said both roads will be open over the winter.
However, the trail system will see detours until the bridge is completed.
As for the bridge, the city said the arches for the new structure – expected to be about as tall as the High Level Bridge - should be in place by the summer of 2014.
The new bridge is slated to open in the fall of 2015 – and it’s hoped hefty penalties of $10,000 per day past the deadline, will keep the project on schedule.
Crews will begin demolishing the old bridge in 2016.
With files from David Ewasuk
