No more daytime closures are planned for Mission Bridge repairs, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
Ministry staff and a maintenance contractor observed a vertical misalignment of the deck across the Pier No. 8 joint in the northbound fast lane on July 28, said a spokesperson for the ministry.
The bridge deck was inspected, but the cause of the problem was not visible from the top, leading to a ministry staff to conduct a below deck inspection on the morning of Aug. 3.
This led to immediate emergency repairs, shutting down the fast lanes in both directions.
Travellers were advised to plan ahead and consider alternate routes during the repair work, but southbound traffic jams frequently built up in the mornings, and northbound jams followed after working hours.
The traffic woes culminated in a one hour closure of all lanes last night at 9 p.m., as a restoration of a bridge bearing took place.
Further preventative repairs to concrete and bearings will take place below the bridge deck in the next few weeks, which may cause minor delays, but no more daytime closures are planned, according to the ministry.
The spokesperson said the bridge has an expected lifespan of 75 years (1972 to 2047).
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