Little Current Swing Bridge Replacement

Ontario's plan to replace the 113-year-old Little Current Swing Bridge has taken another major step forward with EllisDon selected as construction manager for the project.

The bridge carries Highway 6 between Manitoulin Island and the Ontario mainland and serves as the Island's only year-round road crossing.

Originally constructed in 1913, the existing single-lane bridge has been in service for more than a century. Its structural steel has been steadily deteriorating, and the province has been planning its replacement since 2018.

BlogTo reports that the preferred replacement will be a new two-lane swing bridge constructed just west of the existing crossing.

A construction start date has not yet been announced.

EllisDon Selected as Construction Manager

Selection of EllisDon as construction manager moves the Little Current bridge replacement closer to construction.

The province awarded a design contract for the replacement project last fall. With a construction manager now selected, another major component of the project team is in place.

EllisDon's involvement will be particularly important as the project advances through pre-construction planning and eventually into construction.

The province has not provided a construction schedule or announced when work at the site will begin.

New Two-Lane Swing Bridge Planned

The existing Little Current Swing Bridge provides a single traffic lane across the channel between Manitoulin Island and the mainland.

Plans call for replacing it with a two-lane swing bridge immediately west of the existing structure.

The preferred replacement option was selected in 2021 following planning that began in 2018.

The swing-bridge design will retain the movable bridge function while providing a new two-lane crossing.

Replacing a movable bridge presents a considerably different construction program from a conventional fixed-span bridge.

The project will require the new crossing to accommodate road traffic while incorporating the structural and mechanical systems necessary to operate the swing span.

Existing Bridge Dates to 1913

The Little Current Swing Bridge was originally constructed in 1913 and has served the region for 113 years.

It was initially used for rail service before later becoming a road crossing.

The bridge is still commonly known as the Little Current Swing Bridge, although it was officially dedicated as the Constable Marc Hovingh Minjimennikaade Memorial Bridge in September.

After more than 11 decades of service, deterioration of the bridge's structural steel has contributed to the need for replacement.

The existing crossing carries Highway 6 and remains the only road connection between Manitoulin Island and Ontario's mainland.

Bridge Carries 4,500 Vehicles Per Day During Summer

The importance of the crossing becomes particularly evident during the region's peak summer season.

Approximately 4,500 vehicles use the bridge each day during the summer months.

The route serves residents, businesses, visitors and commercial transportation while providing access between Manitoulin Island and the mainland.

George Pirie, Ontario's Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth, described the crossing as a vital connection supporting access to employment, education, healthcare and economic opportunities.

Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Bill Rosenberg also emphasized the bridge's importance as a year-round transportation corridor for residents, businesses, visitors and transporters.

Complex Bridge Construction Ahead

Although detailed construction scheduling has not yet been announced, replacing the existing crossing with a two-lane movable bridge will eventually require a highly specialized heavy civil construction program.

The project will involve more than the construction of a conventional bridge structure.

A swing bridge requires mechanical and electrical systems capable of rotating the movable span to accommodate marine traffic. Those systems must be coordinated with the bridge's structural components, roadway systems and operational controls.

The location between Manitoulin Island and the mainland also means marine construction will be an important consideration as the replacement moves forward.

Construction Trades Involved

With EllisDon selected as construction manager, contractors and suppliers involved in bridge and heavy civil construction will want to follow the project as it advances toward construction.

Potential trades could include:

• Bridge construction contractors
• Heavy civil contractors
• Marine construction contractors
• Bridge demolition contractors
• Excavation and earthwork contractors
• Foundation contractors
• Pile driving contractors
• Deep foundation contractors
• Structural steel contractors
• Structural steel fabricators
• Structural steel erectors
• Reinforcing steel contractors
• Concrete contractors
• Bridge deck contractors
• Waterproofing contractors
• Roadway contractors
• Asphalt paving contractors
• Aggregate suppliers
• Drainage contractors
• Electrical contractors
• Mechanical contractors
• Swing bridge equipment contractors
• Bridge control system contractors
• Traffic signal contractors
• Highway lighting contractors
• Roadway signage contractors
• Pavement marking contractors
• Guardrail and barrier contractors
• Traffic-control contractors
• Sitework contractors

The movable span could create particularly specialized opportunities involving structural steel fabrication, mechanical equipment, electrical systems and bridge operating controls.

New Bridge Moves Closer to Construction

Plans to replace the Little Current Swing Bridge have been progressing for several years.

The province began planning for the replacement in 2018, selected the preferred two-lane swing bridge option in 2021 and awarded a design contract last fall.

Selection of EllisDon as construction manager marks the latest step toward delivering the new crossing.

The replacement will be constructed just west of the existing bridge and will provide two traffic lanes in place of the current single-lane crossing.

For contractors and suppliers specializing in bridge, marine and heavy civil construction, the project will be important to follow as EllisDon and the province advance through the next stages of planning and pre-construction. A construction start date has not yet been announced, making the upcoming procurement and construction schedule the next major developments to watch.