London’s Blackfriars Bridge may be closed for years after an engineering report found the span is too dangerous to reopen until costly repairs are done.
After 138 years the Blackfriars Bridge will likely be closed indefinitely.
Ward 13 Councillor Judy Bryant has read the grim assessments in a new engineering report.
She says “It is just not safe. They found that the structure is quite compromised in a number of spots.”
Extensive corrosion is taking its toll, the top arches are deformed and contain broken rivets and many supports beneath the deck have simply rusted out.
While there is no specific cost estimate to repair the damage, similar historic bridge repairs have run between $1.75 and $2 million.
Residents who have dealt with the bridge closure all summer are frustrated, but overhauling the bridge isn't just an issue of money, but time.
Doug MacRae, a transportation design engineer with the City of London says “Rehabilitation of bridges over 40 years old have to go through a full environmental assessment.”
And an environmental assessment will take at least until the end of 2014. That means long term repairs can't begin until sometime in 2015. So the bridge will remain closed for years, unless council wants to spend a lot more money.
Short term fixes could reopen the bridge until the long-term repairs are done. It would cost $260,000 to reopen it temporarily to pedestrians and bicycles and $430,000 to open it to vehicles.
MacRae says “When open it accommodates about 5,000 vehicles a day and numerous pedestrians and bicycles. “
And while Bryant acknowledges there may be sticker shock for city council, she believes it’s the only option.
“It is a lot of money, however I don't have exact figures but I doubt you could get a new one very inexpensively these days.”
The Civic Works Committee will consider the bridge's future at its meeting on Monday.
