Modular bridge manufacturers Acrow have designed and supplied two modular steel bridges to permanently replace the aging Blakeney Bridge in Eastern Ontario.

The original single-lane crossing was built in 1915 and consisted of three separate structures spanning the Mississippi River via two islands.

The country considers the bridge critical for enhancing accessibility for farmers, area residents, and tourists, and the structure has been repaired or rehabilitated over the years, including a major project in 2000 to extend its service life.

After learning of a neighbouring township’s success using a cost-effective panel bridge in a similar project, Lanark County officials opted for a similar approach.

Acrow was awarded the contract through a competitive tender, and worked with Stratford-based Looby Construction to install the structure.

One of the structures supplied is a 15-bay bridge with an overall length of 150 feet. The other, single span bridge has a length of 90 feet. Each structure has a custom two-lane roadway width 26 feet.

The project involved installing the longer two-span bridge first with a cantilever launch, using parts from the single-span bridge.Once the longer two-span bridge was in place, the single-span bridge was installed with a crane-assisted launch, thereby eliminating the need for additional launching equipment.

The structure was officially opened on June 17.

“Acrow played an instrumental role on this project by providing detailed information and budget estimates for modular bridge solutions, empowering the council to make an informed decision”, said Lanark County’s director of public works, Sean Derouin.