‘Long-term’ water main repair work underway for Port Hope’s Walton Street Bridge

The Municipality of Port Hope says river access will remain available during Walton Street Bridge long-term water main repair work through the month but anglers are being asked to avoid accessing the trail beside Queenie’s Bake Shop. /Sarah Hyatt photo

By editor/reporter Sarah Hyatt

Water main repair work for the Walton Street Bridge in Port Hope is underway until the end of the month.

According to the Municipality of Port Hope, the bridge – between Mill Street South and Queen Street – is being reduced to one lane eastbound until the end of November to accommodate crews tackling “long-term repairs to the water main located beneath the bridge and river.”

The repairs are related to the water main break that happened last December, noted municipal staff.

The work started on Monday, and there was also some overnight work throughout this week on the west and east sides of the bridge and in the Mill Street South area. Staff said the overnight work was meant to help minimize water service interruptions to businesses during regular operating hours.

Municipal staff also said the north sidewalk of the bridge has been closed due to the work.

“Pedestrians can use the sidewalk on the south side of the bridge,” added staff.

Meanwhile, anglers are being asked to avoid accessing the river trail beside Queenie’s Bake Shop and instead use Brogden’s Lane to access the ramp north of the bridge. 

“River access will remain available.”

In terms of additional impacts, transit services will also be avoiding the work area through the month, resulting in bus stops A1 and B1 out of service during the closure.

The water main break last year occurred during the morning of Dec. 28 at the northwest corner of the bridge over the Ganaraska River.

Following this – and despite challenging winter conditions at the time – municipal crews and contractors reportedly worked to excavate and cap the water main at both ends of the bridge and tackle immediate work that continued into earlier this year. The bridge also closed temporarily following the break to accommodate a precautionary structural evaluation.

Back in the summer, the bridge was closed again while crews tackled repairs to road cuts on both sides related to the water main break. At this time, the municipality also noted additional work would be needed again in the future to plan for the long-term repair of the water main.

The impacted section of water main was installed after the 1980 flood and wasn’t included in the scope or budget of the multi-million-dollar Walton Street reconstruction project, officials earlier explained, while also noting there was no impact on the safety or quality of the water supply due to the incident.

The cause was reportedly identified as a break in a 300mm ductile iron water main several metres east of the section replaced during Phase 2 of the reconstruction project, according to the municipality.