Pakenham’s five-span bridge getting tune-up
PAKENHAM – Rehabilitation of the Five-Span Bridge in Pakenham begins on July 28 and runs until Oct. 30.
KB Civil Constructors Inc., located in Toronto, will undertake the current project for a total of $965,861, concentrating on the restoration of the bridge’s substructure. This amount is less than the projected cost of $1.5 million. Funding will be drawn from the reserves of the County of Lanark.
The rehabilitation scheduled for 2025 will focus solely on the underwater and underside tasks, which involve replacing the concrete jackets that encase the bridge piers and repointing the worn masonry joints.
Daily road closures are expected to occur from Monday to Thursday, starting 30 minutes prior to sunrise and ending 30 minutes before sunset. On Fridays, closures will take place from 30 minutes before sunrise until noon. Closures will not be allowed on holidays, and the day before a holiday will have closures from 30 minutes before sunrise until noon. Additionally, closures will not be permitted on weekends.
As stated by the County of Lanark, the scheduled work for 2026 encompasses the replacement of worn parapet wall stones and deck drains, the construction of new curbs and gutters, the replacement of expansion joints and the repaving of the bridge deck. Additionally, enhancements to the bridge approach are planned to improve drainage and visibility, which will include new decorative light posts and a fresh asphalt driving surface on both the approaches and the bridge deck, as well as colour-changing LED lighting installed beneath the bridge.
The expenses for 2026 will be factored into the proposed budget for the following year.
The crossing over the Mississippi River is the only stone arch bridge in North America that has five masonry arches.
In 1901, the Township of Pakenham commissioned the construction of the bridge, which was built by O’Toole and Keating from Ottawa at a total cost of $14,500. At the time, it accommodated pedestrians, horses and carts.
The five arches, each measuring 40 feet (12 metres), are supported by piers that are eight feet (2.4 m) in thickness. The length is 268 feet (82 m). The width is 22 feet (7 m). The length of the abutments is 18 feet (5.4 m).
The stone was sourced from a local quarry, with the heaviest block weighing five tonnes.
In 1984, the bridge underwent widening and reinforcement to accommodate modern traffic requirements and to rectify years of wear and tear. The work was performed by Logan Contracting Ltd. from Stratford.
Additional rehabilitation took place in 2012.
The Five-Span Bridge is one of the Seven Wonders of Lanark County. The others: St. Peter Celestine Church in Pakenham; Mill of Kintail in Almonte; Blueberry Mountain in Lanark Highlands; Showy Lady’s Slipper Orchids in Lanark Highlands at the Purdon Conservation Area; Silver Queen Mica Mine in Tay Valley at Murphys Point Provincial Park; and Stewart Park in Perth.
