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Superstar
Traycer
New Member
Ports Toronto was planning on lowering the bascule bridge today, but apparently they hit a snag, since it is still up as of 5 pm this afternoon.
DSC
Superstar
Yes, I too was hoping to cross it today but .. The quote below is still on Ports Toronto website so I suppose it MAY open tomorrow? See: https://www.portstoronto.com/portst...ices/ship-channel-bridge-critical-repair.aspx
TIMELINE OF REPAIR UPDATES
Toronto (August 8, 2024) – The Ship Channel Bridge (Cherry St. Bascule Bridge) will continue to be closed to roadway traffic until 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 13 as crews proceed with ongoing critical repairs. We expected to lower the bridge earlier this week, but due to some challenges, the bridge will remain in the raised position until the temporary winch system is fully ready for use.Please continue to check the schedule and status bar on this page for updates on roadway access. Dates and times below are approximate and dependent on repair progress.
rdaner
Senior Member
Thank God for Ports Toronto! 
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Superstar
Latest news...
hawc
Senior Member
Is Metrolinx handling this bridge repair?
jxmyth_
Senior Member
I look forward to building a bridge to the island from Cherry beach so we can have TWO bridges prone to malfunction in direct vicinity of one another
UtakataNoAnnex
Senior Member
They could make so it has no moving parts...thus less prone to mechanical failures. But they would likely have to make the thing stupidly high so as goods vessels could go through uninterrupted.
70Challenger
Active Member
Just think of how good that steelwork will look once it's been repainted. Nice payoff for all this.
hawc
Senior Member
Will it ever get repainted? How long will that take? One lane in both directions for the next ten years while they slowly repaint it? That bridge is such a permanent repair job.
DSC
Superstar
The Ports Toronto site has spoken of repainting at the end of the project - it is a big job as the current paint (which must be scraped off) is lead-based so they need good protection for workers plus it cannot be allowed to fall into the Lake. The whole project, including painting, is supposed to be finished by NEXT fall.
DSC
Superstar
This is the info now on PortsToronto website. The 2024 work had to be brought forward from the fall as the mechanism failed sooner than they had hoped!
This project will modernize three key components of this ageing infrastructure. Phase 1 of the Ship Channel Bridge Rehabilitation Project will reach substantial completion in March 2024, and as a result, both the north and south roadway approaches to the bridge will re-open to vehicle traffic in early February 2024.
Phase 1 – Substantial completion in March 2024.
During this project , PortsToronto and the City of Toronto will ensure the continued safe transportation of cargo and goods across the Ship Channel Lift Bridge while maintaining marine, vehicle and pedestrian traffic along the various rights of way serviced by the bridge.
PortsToronto consults with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation on all projects.
For project related enquiries, please contact shipchannelbridge@portstoronto.com.
A Greener Alternative to the Movement of Goods
The most efficient and cost effective way to move bulk commodities over large distances is by water. In fact, one tonne of freight can travel 240 kilometres on a single litre of fuel by ship, whereas it can travel only 30 kilometres by truck. In an average year, over two million tonnes of cargo transit through the Port of Toronto, taking tens of thousands of trucks off Ontario's already congested highways. Every tonne of road salt, cement and aggregate moved into the Greater Toronto Area by ship significantly reduces GHG emissions relative to the same tonnage of materials transported by truck.
In addition to its environmental and operational benefits, modernizing the Ship Channel Lift Bridge will enable the Port of Toronto to attract increased tonnage of cargo, increase shipments of heavy single components consignments and increased cruise ship passenger volumes. Further, it will increase the utilization of the existing terminal warehouses, cruise passenger terminal facilities and bonding/brokerage facilities.
History of the Ship Channel Bridge
The Cherry Street Bascule Bridge located on Cherry Street, south of Polson Street, carries two lanes of traffic (one northbound and one southbound), as well as sidewalks on both sides, over the Ship Channel in the Port of Toronto. The bridge was constructed in 1931 and consists of a 37-metre-long Warren Through Truss Bascule span (a lift bridge activated by counterweights) and a 43-metre-long steel girder approach span on both the north and south ends. The north end of the bridge has 750-ton concrete counterweights that allow the bridge to pivot to the open position to allow ships to access the channel.
The Ship Channel Bridge, photographed at its opening on June 29, 1931. (PortsToronto Archives)
The total length of the bridge is 123 metres and the substructure consists of concrete abutments founded on timber piles. This bridge is the primary roadway connection to the southern Port Lands area (the only other being the single lane Unwin Avenue Bridge). Operational lifting of the Bascule span provides critical access that allows ships to access the channel and the turning basin beyond.
The bridge type was designed by American structural engineer Joseph Baermann Strauss, best known as the engineer responsible for the Golden Gate Bridge. This structure is a representative example of a bridge type that is exceptionally rare in Canada and is listed as a heritage structure by the City of Toronto.
This project will modernize three key components of this ageing infrastructure. Phase 1 of the Ship Channel Bridge Rehabilitation Project will reach substantial completion in March 2024, and as a result, both the north and south roadway approaches to the bridge will re-open to vehicle traffic in early February 2024.
Phase 1 – Substantial completion in March 2024.
- Rehabilitation of the bridge north and south roadway approach spans.
- Restoration of the Bascule lift bridge structure.
- Replacement of end of life mechanical and electrical lift systems.
During this project , PortsToronto and the City of Toronto will ensure the continued safe transportation of cargo and goods across the Ship Channel Lift Bridge while maintaining marine, vehicle and pedestrian traffic along the various rights of way serviced by the bridge.
PortsToronto consults with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation on all projects.
For project related enquiries, please contact shipchannelbridge@portstoronto.com.
A Greener Alternative to the Movement of Goods
The most efficient and cost effective way to move bulk commodities over large distances is by water. In fact, one tonne of freight can travel 240 kilometres on a single litre of fuel by ship, whereas it can travel only 30 kilometres by truck. In an average year, over two million tonnes of cargo transit through the Port of Toronto, taking tens of thousands of trucks off Ontario's already congested highways. Every tonne of road salt, cement and aggregate moved into the Greater Toronto Area by ship significantly reduces GHG emissions relative to the same tonnage of materials transported by truck.
In addition to its environmental and operational benefits, modernizing the Ship Channel Lift Bridge will enable the Port of Toronto to attract increased tonnage of cargo, increase shipments of heavy single components consignments and increased cruise ship passenger volumes. Further, it will increase the utilization of the existing terminal warehouses, cruise passenger terminal facilities and bonding/brokerage facilities.
History of the Ship Channel Bridge
The Cherry Street Bascule Bridge located on Cherry Street, south of Polson Street, carries two lanes of traffic (one northbound and one southbound), as well as sidewalks on both sides, over the Ship Channel in the Port of Toronto. The bridge was constructed in 1931 and consists of a 37-metre-long Warren Through Truss Bascule span (a lift bridge activated by counterweights) and a 43-metre-long steel girder approach span on both the north and south ends. The north end of the bridge has 750-ton concrete counterweights that allow the bridge to pivot to the open position to allow ships to access the channel.
The Ship Channel Bridge, photographed at its opening on June 29, 1931. (PortsToronto Archives)
The total length of the bridge is 123 metres and the substructure consists of concrete abutments founded on timber piles. This bridge is the primary roadway connection to the southern Port Lands area (the only other being the single lane Unwin Avenue Bridge). Operational lifting of the Bascule span provides critical access that allows ships to access the channel and the turning basin beyond.
The bridge type was designed by American structural engineer Joseph Baermann Strauss, best known as the engineer responsible for the Golden Gate Bridge. This structure is a representative example of a bridge type that is exceptionally rare in Canada and is listed as a heritage structure by the City of Toronto.
UtakataNoAnnex
Senior Member
...wait, it's that old?
rdaner
Senior Member
Stairs going in and I think a new set of benches on Lemon. Taken 16 August.
