Winnipeg, MB – Winnipeg’s historic Arlington Bridge is officially coming down.
Following more than a month of preparatory work on the City of Winnipeg right-of-way, crews removed the first piece of the actual bridge this morning.
“Removing the old Arlington Bridge is the first step toward restoring connections between people, neighbourhoods and jobs,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “It’s also part of a broader strategy to renew Winnipeg’s network of more than 120 bridges. As we advance the design of modern replacements for the Arlington and Louise bridges, we have been renewing bridges across the city, including the St. Vital Bridge, Charleswood Bridge, Creek Bend Road Bridge, and overpasses on Pembina Highway and Lagimodière Boulevard.”
Work on decommissioning and removal will be done in two stages.
The first stage, which started in early June, will take approximately six months to complete. It is focused on removing the south portion of the bridge from Logan Avenue to midway into the CPKC yard.
"Removing a century-old bridge over an active rail line is a highly complex undertaking that requires exceptional engineering expertise, precision, and coordination,” said Councillor Janice Lukes, Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Public Works. “I want to recognize and thank the team of engineers and support staff for their outstanding leadership and commitment to delivering this critical work safely and efficiently."
“Removal of the old bridge makes room for the new bridge to and from the North End to the West End and beyond,” said Councillor Ross Eadie, Mynarski. “It is a complex removal over the CPKC Rail Yard which continues to be active while the removal happens.”
"Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for our communities,” said Councillor Vivian Santos, Point Douglas. “While it is difficult to say goodbye to a bridge that has served Winnipeg for more than a century, removing it is an important step toward building a modern replacement that will safely reconnect the North End, Point Douglas, and surrounding neighbourhoods for generations to come."
No full road closures are anticipated during this phase of work. Traffic in the area of Logan Avenue and Arlington Street will be intermittently affected.
In 2027, we will continue work to the north at Dufferin Avenue.
We permanently closed the bridge in November 2023 after a study showed it was in poor condition and could not be repaired or rebuilt on the same foundation.
In January 2025, Council approved $17 million for the decommissioning and removal, as well as an additional $5 million to begin design of a new bridge.
Removing the existing bridge and beginning design work are the next steps toward building a modern replacement in approximately the same footprint. The new bridge will meet today’s safety, design, and accessibility standards.
Construction funding will be considered as part of a future Council decision.
More information is available at winnipeg.ca/arlingtonbridge