Bridge still being designed, county says
Construction may start in 2025 and finish in 2027, but don't bet on it
Designing a bridge takes time, a lot of time.
At its final council meeting for 2024 , Northumberland County highlighted the fact that the Hector Macmillan bridge, better known to the county as the Trent River Crossing, is now 90 per cent designed.
Warden Brian Ostrander, the mayor of Brighton who was re-elected to a second year as warden during the meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 18, flagged that unfinished design work as a key accomplishment for the county during the year.
But a look at the county’s webpage for the project shows that the design was originally supposed to be finished by now so that the phased construction plans could be developed and contracts prepared for bidding. That’s still in the future.
The environment ministry approved the bridge plan in 2017 and design work on the structure that will link Alma Street on the west with Second Street on the east started in 2019 and was projected to be completed in mid-2021, three and a half years ago.
In June the county said the bridge was 60 per cent designed and would be done by the end of 2024.
The county is negotiating with property owners to acquire the homes that will be torn down to make space for the new bridge.
The webpage says construction is supposed to start in 2025 and conclude in 2027, but that first requires a final staging and phasing plan that has not been completed yet. I wrote about the slow moving work six months ago and it seems the pace hasn’t really picked up.
In its budget for 2025, Trent Hills approved $300,000 for its work on Frank and Saskatoon Streets to coordinate with the county’s efforts. It will be upgrading sewer, water, and storm sewer pipes and the roads.
As always, I want to note that I have a personal interest in this topic since I live on Second Street and will have a ringside seat to watch the construction when it finally gets under way.
County raises budget by 6.12%
At that meeting on Wednesday, Northumberland County council passed a 2025 budget that raises its tax levy by 6.12 per cent than in 2024. It reached that amount after considering a plan at its November meeting that would have raised spending by 8.64 per cent. Council had asked staff to come back with a draft budget that had a 6.5 per cent increase.
Council also decided to hold a special meeting in January to consider a cost-cutting service review that will look for efficiencies and structural changes. Councillors did not support an effort proposed by Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland to freeze hiring for three months. Cleveland argued the deadline would force council to get serious about changes.
He has argued in favour of reducing the number of municipalities in the county and thereby cutting staff and spending.
Council also rejected plans for a pay freeze for councillors and senior county staff.
You can read all Trent Hills News stories anytime on the website.
Thanks Art for your article. Was thinking about the Nappan Island Bridge. I notice that the pedestrian bridge not getting used and the traffic one has a turn around built. It appears that the large snow plow can,t get across. I wonder about the fire dept ladder truck. The developer went bankrupt so as the planner said development charges would help pay for it when homes are built. So taxpayers are stuck with one point seven million dollar bill. I wonder if the planners considered a causeway with a culvert. This water is backed up from the dam at Healey Falls. When a bridge was placed there at least back in the forty’s to service Puff Ball Inn they wouldn,t have had the dump trucks of today.
Moving along to the proposed new Campbellford bridge I wonder if the planners have considered how the large trucks and double trailers are going to navigate the round about at Alma St. The second consideration is on the East side at second St. Is the large Cranes that go to the Ranney Power plant quite often, will there be enought height and this past year a crane was so big it came in on several flat beds and was built on site. The generator that was moved had to traverse the canal by a barge to get trucked away. I think part of our water problem on Trent Island could relate to the heavy traffic on Trent Drive. Morley Tanner would have never considered the traffic volume when he started the 1st subdivision. When we purchased a new house in Dave Donald subdivision we were told by the plumber we wouldn’t need a sump pump. How times have changed, Parkview at the intersection of Tanner has sank due to water leaking from the canal causing the road to sink, sewage drain hole to tilt, asphalt to fall down in two places, numerous water main breaks, four in two months. When it rains our sump pump gets a real work out. The Municipality recognized this after our complaints and a engineering firm do a plan for reconstruction and a information session at the council chambers. Was not attended by the Mayor who came out afterwards who said it wouldn’t be done until there is money put up by another level of government. I see that this whole area needs some attention. The sewage pumping station on Trent Drive has had the generator removed. A worker told me they had three hours if the power goes off before the sewage backs up. So planning needs to be adjusted to the current situation. Like technology changes about every six months. So Art we will just have to wait but I predict it will be more than three years to be built. Joe Watson