A detour on the Merlin Townline is going to be in place a lot longer that first expected.
The road is closed at the Raleigh Plains Drain because the bridge was in need of replacement. The route is a popular one with trucks and other traffic wanting to cross the the Thames River at Prairie Siding to avoid going through Chatham.
The work was supposed to be finish by now and the plan was for the support beams to be re-used as part of the project.
But when the concrete deck was taken off four of those beams were damaged. Assessing how to solve that problem has delayed construction and now the bridge won't be ready until the spring because asphalt plants are not operating over the winter.
A report to council indicates the contractor is responsible for the cost of replacing or repairing the damaged beams.
