Alberta Transportation is planning repair work on the Bow River Bridge in Canmore that is expected to cause lengthy delays.
The issue came up recently at a council meeting when Councillor John Borrowman inquired if the Town has influence over when the work is done.
Chief Administrative Officer Don Kochan said the municipality is working with the province to schedule the work at a time that is least disruptive.
“When they produce plans (for the work) we should be prepared for lengthy delays,” Kochan said.
Alberta Transportation spokesperson Trent Bancarz said the bridge repair will go to tender in the near future.
He said the work, expected to take six to eight weeks, will have to be complete by Canada Day as part of any contract signed by the province.
“That is because we don’t really want to be doing that work during the high tourist season,” Bancarz said.
The work will be to re-surface the deck of the bridge and put in new joints to hold the concrete together.
He said it is routine rehabilitation for the bridge, which was built in 1965, to prolong its lifespan.
Bancarz said residents of Canmore can expect delays and lane closures as a result of the work.
Borrowman asked about fire and emergency services to that side of town if the bridge is shut down.
Assistant fire chief Scott Wing said while there is access through the Three Sisters exit, in the past when the pedestrian bridge was constructed there was a unit kept on the other side as a contingency measure.
