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Bridgework east of Enderby nears completion

Ministry preparing to replace 71-year-old Baxter Bridge at Ashton Creek with new span
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An artist’s rendering of what the new Baxter Bridge on the Shuswap River 11 kilometres east of Enderby at Ashton Creek could look like. Work to the existing 71-year-old span in preparation for a new bridge to be built is near completion.(Contributed)

Work is getting close to completion at the Baxter Bridge east of Enderby.

The span over the Shuswap River on Trinity Valley Road has been undergoing work since late summer.

“Once the work is complete we expect to be able to remove the current weight restriction of 25 tonnes and restore the previously posted weight restriction,” said Chad Marsh, bridge area manager for the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. “The Ministry will be conducting inspections on the works completed next week.”

There are no closures for the bridge over the holiday weekend but, as of Tuesday, Oct. 12 until Friday, Oct. 15, the bridge will be closed from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and open from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The bridge will be open with potential minor delays from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. then open for the night after 5:30 p.m.

On Saturday, Oct. 16, the bridge will be closed from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., open for vehicles and pedestrians from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., then closed until 5 p.m.

“Hourly we will walk pedestrians across the bridge during the closures,” said Marsh.

The Baxter Bridge was built in 1950 and is being repaired as the ministry begins activities for a future bridge replacement. It was closed in November 2020 after some serious structural issues were discovered.

More problems with the span were discovered in May 2021 which is when a 25,000-tonne limit was put in place.

READ MORE: Inspection of North Okanagan bridge uncovers more structural issues

READ MORE: Replacement bridgework east of Enderby to commence

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