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Statement by the Minister of Transportation on Nipigon River Bridge

January 11, 2016

The following statement is from the Hon. Steven Del Duca, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation:

“As Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, my number one priority is the safety of all roads and highways in this province. On Sunday afternoon, the OPP closed the Nipigon River Bridge to traffic due to safety concerns.

Ministry staff worked through the night to rectify the situation, using counterweights to level the bridge surface. An engineering inspection was also completed to ensure the safety of the bridge and the travelling public.

Keeping Ontario moving is a shared priority of all involved, and I commend the hardworking crews who laboured throughout the night to return this important piece of highway infrastructure to the safe, driving condition all Canadians expect.

As of this statement, one lane is open for cars and regular weight transports.  Staff are continuing to work to determine when oversized trucks can use the bridge Crews remain on site to identify the cause of the issue and updates from MTO will be communicated as they become available. For the latest information on highway closures, the public can call 511, MTO’s Road Information Line or check www.Ontario.ca/511.

My colleague Minister Michael Gravelle will be visiting Nipigon River Bridge this morning. I look forward to visiting the site later this week to survey the site myself and I will provide a further update at that time.

Again, I would like to thank all affected travellers, the local First Nations communities and townspeople along Highway 11/17 for their patience and understanding as we took the necessary steps to return this piece of critical infrastructure back to service.”

the Hon. Steven Del Duca, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation

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