The Manitoba government has announced that it is investing $19.6 million in a major bridge crossing to improve Manitoba highways and enhance climate resiliency by reducing the impacts of future floods in southwest Manitoba.
The Souris River Bridge on Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 3 at Melita is a vital east-west link over the Souris River connecting people, businesses and communities, noted the minister.
“Our government knows that infrastructure is critical to our economy,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor. “Manitobans depend on safe roads and bridges to grow their businesses, support their families and ensure they have access to important health services. I am pleased to see this project move forward to keep the communities of southwest Manitoba safe and to invest in the future of rural Manitoba.”
The bridge replacement contract has been awarded to MD Steele Construction Limited. The new three-span steel I-girder bridge is being constructed with improved hydraulic capacity for flood resiliency and will be wider than the existing bridge, with two 3.7-metre travel lanes and 2.5-metre shoulders. The work has already begun and is anticipated to be open to traffic by next fall, noted Naylor, adding full completion of all work related to the project is scheduled for later in the fall or early winter of 2025.
Traffic is being detoured during bridge construction onto a shoo-fly detour adjacent to the existing highway and will remain open throughout construction with a single lane controlled by signal lights at each end of the bridge. Drivers should exercise caution through the construction area at all times.
