Sneath Road bridge closed

Due to public safety reasons, Caledon council directed staff last Tuesday to immediately close the Sneath Road bridge in Bolton to vehicular traffic.

Council also directed staff to undertake a class environmental assessment to determine if the bridge should be replaced. The replacement of the bridge was referred to 2008 capital budget discussions.

Craig Campbell, director of public works and engineering, estimated the class environmental assessment to cost $50,000 and the replacement of the bridge to cost $300,000.

The Sneath Road bridge is located on a small local road between Old King Road and King Street. The structure, built in 1920, carries one lane of north-south traffic on Sneath Road over the Humber River. The bridge has an overall length of 24.8 metres. It was designated a heritage structure in 2000.

Campbell explained the bridge was inspected by a professional structural engineer Sept. 5 and the engineer concluded it needed to be closed to vehicular traffic. The engineer said the structure was in very serious condition.

Campbell added the earliest a replacement structure could be in place would be the summer or fall of 2008.