South Glengarry has agreed to allocate $400,000 towards the $605,000 needed to complete the rehabilitation of the Third Line bridge that crosses the Delisle River.
At the most recent meeting, council approved the recommendation from General Manager of Infrastructure Services Sarah McDonald to take the funds from the bridge and structures reserve.
Councillor Sam McDonell expressed his concern that the year is still fairly new with many projects yet to be completed, and yet the township is already having to dip into reserves.
Mayor Lachlan McDonald said it was fortunate the municipality had foresight to allot sufficient funds to the reserve to allow for unexpected costs, although in funding the Third Line work, other projects for 2026 and 2027 will have to be reviewed.
Sarah McDonald and Matt Brunel, Manager of Capital Works and Bridges with SDG Counties, presented a report to council on the findings of Keystone Bridge Management Inc., which prepared rehabilitation options for the bridge.
An inspection concluded that more work than expected was required. The deck of the bridge is not in good condition having large asphalt patches, there are leaks at the expansion joints, and the soffit edges suffer from delamination due to the separation of the surface layer from the main body of concrete. The girders were found to be in good condition, but concern remains that leaks at the expansion joints will allow water to access the girder ends. A major rehabilitation will extend its life up to 45 years.
The 2025 budget for the completion of the project was $250,000, which included $200,000 for construction and $50,000 for the design. In addition to the Third Line bridge rehabilitation, the township has also budgeted a total of $300,000 for the design and construction of the St. Raphael’s Bridge and another $40,000 for an evaluation of the South Service Road bridge. Currently the bridge and structures Reserve is at $760,000, including an earmarked $250,000 for the Frog Hollow Bridge.
