Winnipeg, MB – Decommissioning of the century-old Arlington Bridge is set to start as early as June 1, 2026.
“This is the next step toward building a new Arlington Bridge for the North End,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “I know residents have been concerned since the bridge closed, and I want them to know this project is moving forward. We’re removing the old bridge and designing its replacement. The next bridge will be safer, more accessible, and built to serve Winnipeg for generations.”
Award of a contract for the next phase of work was approved this afternoon in a special meeting of the Standing Policy Committee on Public Works.
Work on decommissioning and removal will be done in two stages. An agreement with Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway (CPKC) to facilitate the work is being finalized.
The first stage of work will happen over the next six months. It will focus on removing the south portion of the bridge from Logan Avenue to midway into the CPKC yard.
Traffic in the area of Logan Avenue and Arlington Street will be intermittently affected during this stage, though no full road closures are anticipated.
In 2027, we will continue work to the north at Dufferin Avenue.
This is an important north south transportation link,” said Councillor Janice Lukes, Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Public Works. "The bridge demo is the next step in the rebuilding process.”
“Progress continues towards the replacement of the Arlington Bridge by awarding the contract to decommission the old bridge to allow the new bridge to follow the same path,” said Councillor Ross Eadie, Mynarski. “With support from the North End, Central and West End, Mayor Gillingham and EPC began progress with a $22 million funding for continued design of the new bridge and decommission the old in the four-year budget.”
“While many residents are saddened to see this historic bridge come down, today marks an important step forward for our community,” said Councillor Vivian Santos, Point Douglas. “As we move into the next phase, the work to replace the Arlington Bridge is now underway, and I will continue advocating for a modern, accessible connection that reconnects residents, supports active transportation, and strengthens links between the North End, Point Douglas, and the rest of our city.”
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