Notification of Upcoming Infrastructure Repair

Notification of Upcoming Infrastructure Repair

Issued by Peguis Chief and Council

A) Abe’s Crossing New Bridge build and channel excavation

B) McPherson Bridge Repair (north of Abe’s Crossing)

More details will be issued as they become available. Abe’s Crossing Channel cleaning will commence in the next week or two. Land owners for these areas will be contacted shortly.

Peguis First Nation – Summary of Project

Ab’s Crossing over Fisher River West Branch on West Road – New Bridge and Channel Works:

The existing crossing at Ab’s Crossing over the Fisher River West Branch on the West Road consists of a washed out structure with a detour to the west. Frequent flooding has washed out the detour several times and a more permanent solution is needed. This project will create a permanent bridge crossing at this location and remedy the issues with seasonal flooding of the detour.

Channel works will be completed on the downstream section of the site in order to return the channel to a more natural condition and allow increased flow through the site. This includes excavating the extra material that has been deposited into the channel following multiple structure washouts, and stabilizing the riverbanks to prevent further erosion.

A portion of the channel works will be done in March prior to the fish spawning season and flooding. The remaining channel work will be completed in late June and into the summer.

Access to the stream on the southwest bank and the east bank will be required for excavation purposes.

A new bridge will be built at the existing Ab’s Crossing location. The bridge will be made of pre-fabricated components including steel piles, precast prestressed concrete channel girders, and precast concrete panels. This allows for a cost-effective and low maintenance structure that can be constructed in a shorter time frame. The bridge construction will start in Spring and be completed in Fall of this year.

The road will be raised 0.3 m to ensure flooding is not an issue for the newly constructed bridge. This will require some approach roadworks on the north and south sides of the structure, including asphalt paving.

New approach guardrails will also be installed to improve safety.

Once the new bridge is in operation, the detour will be permanently removed. This project with the new bridge will significantly improve safety at Ab’s Crossing.

McPherson Bridge Repairs – Timber Bridge over Fisher River West Branch on West Road:

The existing McPherson Bridge over the Fisher River West Branch on the West Road consists of a three-span bridge with steel piles, concrete abutments, and timber stringers. The current timber deck is in very poor condition, creating a very rough riding surface. The current structure cannot support full highway loading based on its condition and original design. The project consists of repairing and upgrading the structure so it can support full highway loading.

The deck will be removed and additional timber stringers will be added to increase the load carrying capacity of the structure. The deck will be replaced and paved with asphalt. The approaches to the bridge will be regraded and new guardrails will be installed. Some rock will be added below the bridge to repair and prevent erosion.

The McPherson Bridge will be closed for 4-6 weeks during construction, likely in the summer or early fall. Consideration will be given to ensure that the bridge is not closed when the detour at Ab’s Crossing is taken out due to seasonal flooding.