By Cecilia Nasmith

Supply-chain challenges in sourcing necessary materials that make it impossible to complete the work before winter have forced the rescheduling of plans to replace the Campbellford Bridge expansion joints on Bridge Street (County Road 8) to spring of 2023.

The announcement issued by Northumberland County notes that waiting until spring should ensure that, once the project starts, it can be completed as quickly as possible.

The press release calls the bridge “a vital community link servicing residents and other traffic travelling through Campbellford and across the Trent River/Trent Severn Waterway. The bridge remains safe to use, with the county replacing the expansion joints to prevent damage to the bridge, reduce traffic noise and ensure a smooth transition for vehicles crossing the bridge.”

Expansion joints at each end of the bridge provide a gap that allows the bridge to expand and contract smoothly with changes in the temperature. Once they are installed, nearby residents will notice a reduction in noise – and motorists will notice a smoother transition and minimal vehicle vibration, protecting the bridge from future damage.

The replacement work is expected to take about three weeks, during which the bridge will be closed to traffic nightly from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. The county will issue updated timelines for the work prior to the launch of construction.