Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) wishes to provide an update on the closure of the LaSalle Causeway, following the public notice issued on April 2.
The element of the bridge that was compromised during construction is a diagonal steel truss element supporting the counterweight on the bridge. On March 30, the diagonal element was damaged while carrying out work to strengthen it. As a precautionary measure, PSPC moved quickly to close the bridge and surrounding area immediately following the incident. No one was injured or harmed as a result of this incident.
Specialized equipment is now on site to stabilize the structure. Once set up, this equipment will be able to support the counterweight to stabilize the structure. As soon as it is safe to access the site, PSPC will be able to assess the full extent of the damage and prepare plans for repairs.
The health and safety of the travelling public on the LaSalle Causeway is of paramount consideration to PSPC, and we are working diligently to resolve the issue and reopen the bridge as soon as possible.
Although we still need to conduct a complete assessment of the damage that occurred to the structure, preliminary indications are that the LaSalle Causeway will be closed for several weeks.
