It might be the end of the road for Dennonville Bridge.
The bridge is located North-East of River Valley, in West Nipissing. It spans the Temagami River along Dennonville Road, which runs northernly from St. Joseph’s Road. Once you cross the bridge heading North, Dennonville Road dead ends after about a third of a kilometer.
A report from Elizabeth Henning, West Nipissing Director of Infrastructure, detailed that once north of the river, “The road continues both east and west, however, those portions are not maintained by the municipality.”
Last year, the municipality inspected the Dennonville Bridge. Repairs are needed, required within the next one to five years. The cost? The municipality estimated the bill will come to $1.5 million.
That price caused municipal staff to pause, and suggest council consider closing the bridge as opposed to repairing it.
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Henning’s report noted, “Dennonville Road is a forced road on private property, to which the municipality does not have any paper title. A permanent closure of this road would result in the road and the bridge reverting to private property of the owners on whose lands they encroach.”
There are two landowners whose properties are on the north side of the bridge. These two would take over the northern section of road to do what they please with it. Further, Henning’s report mentioned, “In addition, the owners would be responsible for the bridge and may wish to install signage and / or barricades to limit use and potential liability.
The Dennonville Bridge is a Bailey Bridge with a deck length of just under 40 meters.
The issue will be brought to council at a future meeting, and councillors will decide if it’s the end of the road for Dennonville Bridge.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.