Construction on the Third Street Bridge in Chatham is behind schedule.
The bridge closed completely to vehicle and pedestrian traffic in early May to allow crews to complete millions of dollars worth of upgrades and repairs.
The original project timelines of the Third Street Bridge rehabilitation project targeted two lanes of traffic on the structure by the end of November 2021.
However, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent announced on Thursday afternoon through a media release that the timeline will not be met.
According to the release, the contractor has dealt with several challenges throughout the last six months including labour and material shortages and flooding in the area at the end of September.
"In response, the contractor has added additional crews, extended hours of operation on evenings and weekends, and worked concurrently on various components of the bridge in an attempt to recover the lost time," the release stated. "Despite the contractor's best efforts to keep the project on schedule, they have been unable to make up the time required to provide two lanes of traffic on the bridge before the end of 2021."
The municipality said construction will be halted during the winter months and start back up when weather conditions are more favourable. The project is expected to be completed and the bridge will be in service by the end of June 2022.
"The remaining work on the project involves construction-related activities that are temperature sensitive to ensure proper curing and quality control," the release read. "This project is a significant investment in the community and it is important that it is constructed in weather conditions that will not compromise the long-term structural integrity of the bridge."
According to the municipality, Thames Street between St. Clair Street and Kent Street will be reopened while construction has been paused during the winter. The current detours, which include the use of the Fifth Street Bridge and Lacroix Street bridge, will remain in place throughout the winter. The navigational clearance under the bridge will be maintained throughout the winter.
