Weight Of Bridges Restricted For Public Safety

Released on April 5, 2019

Following the failure of a newly constructed bridge in the RM of Clayton last fall, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities and the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure partnered through the Municipal Roads for the Economy Program to commission an inspection and structural assessment of bridges known to have similar design and construction.

An engineering firm inspected six bridges located throughout Saskatchewan and preliminary findings recommend that five of the six bridges be weight restricted to carry less than secondary weights.  These weight restrictions affect a bridge in the RM of Caledonia, the RM of Mervin and the RM of Scott as well as two bridges in the RM of Perdue.

Some of these bridges impact heavy haul routes throughout the province, including one Alternate Truck Route and one Clearing the Path corridor.

To ensure public safety, the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure is working with the rural municipalities to weight restrict or close the roadways containing these bridges until appropriate improvements or remedial work can be completed.

Results of the inspection and assessment will be forwarded to the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan, which regulates professional engineering in the province.  In Saskatchewan, professional engineers must follow the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code when designing a bridge.  This is no different than the requirement that homebuilders follow the Canadian Building Code when designing a building.

For more information on weight restrictions and road closures, visit the Highway Hotline at www.hotline.gov.sk.ca, follow us on Twitter and Facebook or call the Highway Hotline at 511.

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For more information, contact:

Jill Sveinson
Highways and Infrastructure
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4804
Email: jill.sveinson@gov.sk.ca