|
Key Facts |
Bridge Name |
Type | Road | Location | City | Crossing |
| Burgoyne Bridge | Truss | St. Paul Street | Niagara Region, ON | St. Catharines | 12 Mile Creek |
Located next to the beautiful St. Paul Crescent Bridge, this is one of those bridges that clears the entire river valley. It is an impressive structure, and a rare example of a high-level deck truss constructed for highway use. Those who simply drive over this bridge miss out on all the action, so be sure to head down to check out the St. Paul Crescent Bridge up close, although note that St. Paul Crescent Bridge is easily viewed from on top of the Burgoyne Bridge.
This impressive bridge was built in 1915 by the Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation. This is a multi-span high-level Warren deck truss with riveted connections, and it is supported by steel bents. It passes over 12 Mile Creek, as well as the 406 expressway. It leads directly into the downtown area. The bridge's connections are riveted, and there is v-lacing and lattice on many built-up beams composing the truss members and bracing.
According to local news articles, the Niagara Region feels that the best way to deal with this heritage bridge is to reduce it to a pile of scrap metal in a 40 Million Dollar demolition and replacement project that will forever destroy this beautiful heritage bridge and put in its place a mundane structure with no heritage value whatsoever. HistoricBridges.org strongly disagrees with this assessment. This bridge can and should be rehabilitated for continued use.
The planned demolition of the Burgoyne Bridge will result in the loss of a unique and important heritage bridge. Sadly, this will be only a continuation of the strong downturn in remaining heritage bridges in the province that has occurred in recent years. Despite a history of maintaining Ontario's considerable wealth of heritage bridges in the past, when it comes time to consider a comprehensive rehabilitation of a heritage bridge that would extend the life of the heritage bridge for the foreseeable future, Ontario has not shown a commitment to preservation. Instead, perhaps taking a page from the wasteful (in terms of materials, money, and heritage) bridge policies and programs of the United States, the hasty and tragic decision is often made to demolish and replace the heritage bridge.
