The Buckland Bridge, north of Prince Albert, may be on its last legs. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Big Projects

Buckland council discussing bridge replacement

May 11, 2020 | 5:32 PM

The provincial government has resurrected a multi-million program to help municipalities with capital projects, and the Rural Municipality of Buckland (R.M.) is hoping for a slice of the pie.

Among the RM’s big ticket items is replacement of the Buckland Bridge, which incurred further damage two weeks ago as a result of flooding. Reeve Don Fyrk said council is looking to replace the bridge in the next year or two.

“It’s going to cost about $1.5 million to replace the road,” he said, explaining the plan includes lifting the bridge higher so there will be some road work required.

The Municipal Economic Enhancement Program, which will provide $150 million over two years for infrastructure projects, was part of a major stimulus package announced last Wednesday, aimed at helping Saskatchewan’s economy rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. While it’s unclear how much money will be available for the R.M., Fyrk remains optimistic.

“If you get a couple hundred thousand here and a couple hundred thousand there, it all adds up,” he said.

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A bridge study in 2017 recommended replacement of the Buckland Bridge within five years.

As a result of the recent flooding, the bridge was temporarily closed. The bridge was re-opened to traffic last Friday albeit with some weight and speed restrictions in place.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell