The Bridges of Wellington County Part 1: Fix? Replace? Close?

Driving through Wellington County, it’s hard not to notice the sheer number of bridges taking you over rivers and the countless creeks that shoot off of them.

In total there are 882 bridges and culverts over three metres in width throughout the county.

Some of those bridges, such as Elora’s Badley Bridge or nearby Wellington Road 7 bridge, are vital connections for the rural community, with thousands of cars passing over them each day.

But most bridges — like the officially-named Bridge MB002 tucked on a quiet Mapleton sideroad just off Wellington Road 109 — have never seen that volume of traffic and likely never will. 

A 2022 report found 21 bridges and culverts in Mapleton require rehabilitation or replacement in the next one to five years, at an estimated cost $9.6 million. A further 29 will need work in six to 10 years at a similar cost. The town has 310 structures in total.

“We’re going to be in a deficit here and council is going to have to make some hard decisions on potentially even closing some bridges,” said Jamie Morgan, Mapleton’s director of public works.

It’s a common issue but one largely unique to Wellington County. Many of the crossings were built decades ago and are now in a broad range of conditions. Many need repairing. Some need replacing at substantial cost to small municipalities, who occasionally have to decide if it's worth even keeping the bridge open. 

Most municipalities are grappling with the big question of whether to fix or replace every single bridge or whether it's time to cut some loose, freeing up funds for other projects and reducing the overall tax levy. 

Rising costs

The Bosworth Bridge on Wellington Road 7 near Rothsay is a 1949 steel truss bridge under County of Wellington jurisdiction. It also needs to be replaced.

First estimated at a replacement cost of $4.1 million in 2022, it recently went out for tender for construction in 2024 at an estimated cost of $6.3 million.

But because it is on an often-travelled county road, this bridge will certainly be replaced, said county engineer Don Kudo. 

In fact in Kudo’s mind, there isn’t a scenario where any county bridge or culvert would be permanently removed.

“Maybe for some of these rural lower-tier bridges, you can weigh the options to close off that one bridge that serves 10 residents and have them all go a further distance,” Kudo said. “That doesn’t really happen for our high level road network that we have.”

​​Kudo isn’t far off with his assessment.

In Mapleton, some councillors like Marlene Ottens have suggested staff consider closing a bridge when it becomes unsafe rather than "throwing all that money" at it – using Bridge MB002 as an example during an October council meeting.

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​“It's a huge amount of money for a tiny little bridge that services one house,” she said at the time. 

Something similar is happening in Centre Wellington, a township with 111 bridges and culverts. The township has already had to close 12 bridges — mostly in the former West Garafraxa, Pilkington and Eramosa townships. Six more have load restrictions, a sign they’re coming up towards the end of their usable life, said Colin Baker, Centre Wellington’s director of infrastructure services. 

None have been permanently removed as of yet, but this appears to be on the horizon.

“We’ve got a municipal class environmental assessment for five bridges in former Pilkington and Nichol townships and that’s one of the options being considered,” Baker said, referring to the option to remove and not replace.

“That is definitely an approach that is on our radar and we’re certainly interested in hearing feedback from the people that live in the area.”

Bridges have an impact in every municipality in Wellington County, if a little unevenly. 

Data from Good Roads, a municipal association concerned with the advancement of roads and other infrastructure, put an estimated funding need of $165.87 million over 10 years across the eight municipalities in Wellington County.

Source: Good Roads

The Town of Minto doesn’t have a major bridge replacement planned for about 12 years, barring any discoveries during mandated bi-annual inspections of structures longer than three metres. The town has 63 bridges and culverts in total.

“We’re fortunate enough in our area that we don’t have as many structures as them [neighbouring towns],” said Mike McIsaac, Minto’s roads and drainage manager.

“I think the Town of Minto is in great shape and the bridges that we have are a critical part of our network,” added Mark Potter, Minto’s interim CAO.

For some, these bridges aren’t just a number or part of a transportation network but a critical part of their lives and history.