Lorne Bridge Rehabilitation

Background

The Lorne Bridge carries five lanes of traffic on Colborne Street West across the Grand River. The roadway accommodates two lanes of traffic plus a left turn lane in the eastbound direction and two lanes in the westbound direction. There is a sidewalk on the north and south sides of the bridge.

There has been a river crossing at the Lorne Bridge site since as early as 1841. The Lorne Bridge crossing has been reconstructed several times over the years, and prior to the current bridge structure, variations of the bridge included a wood-covered structure, a two-span bowstring arch pony truss bridge and a through truss bridge.

In its current form, the Lorne Bridge consists of three unique structures, the Lorne Arch Bridge, spanning the Grand River, The Lorne Girder Bridge, spanning the abandoned rail corridor, now the SC Johnson Trail, and the Lorne Bridge Pedestrian Underpass.  

The Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study

In 2022, the City of Brantford completed the Three Grand River Crossings Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA), Schedule “C”, which recommended that Lorne Bridge undergo bridge rehabilitation work.  The Final Environmental Assessment Report for the Lorne Bridge is available on the Three Grand River Crossing page.

Design Phase

In 2023, the City retained the engineering firm Doug Dixon and Associates Inc., to provide a preliminary and detailed design of the Lorne Bridge Rehabilitation. The preliminary design of the rehabilitation was completed and a detailed design was initiated.   

The purpose of this project is to rehabilitate the existing bridge structure to maintain its function as a vehicular crossing with sidewalks on each side, and the work will include:

• Any structural strengthening of the bridge structure to remove the 30-tonne winter load limit.
• Concrete repairs throughout the structure
• Asphalt resurfacing,
• Expansion joint replacement
• Replace the bridge deck waterproofing
• Concrete repairs to bridge piers, and abutments,
• Concrete repairs to the retaining walls on the east side of the bridge,
• Repair and waterproof the pedestrian tunnel on the west side of the bridge.

The City’s consultant Doug Dixon and Associates retained SHM Canada to conduct bridge monitoring between November 28, 2023 and July 31, 2024. This monitoring allowed for the collection of data to calibrate structural models to determine if the bridge required strengthening. Analysis of the calibrated models supported the removal of the 30-tonne winter load limit on the Lorne Bridge, without the requirement for structural strengthening. The City spent $194,000 on this structural monitoring program and avoided $2 million in potential structural upgrade costs.

Construction Phase

The City of Brantford anticipates construction to begin in spring 2026, with construction completion in winter 2026.

Additional information related to construction will be added as the project progresses.

Join us for a Public Meeting on April 17, 2025

Join us for an in-person update on the Lorne Bridge Rehabilitation project. Learn about the planned improvements and ask questions about the project’s progress:

The Project Team

If you have any questions about this project, please contact us using one of the following methods:

• By Mail – please mail to C/O Thomas Coleman, P.O. Box 818, Brantford, ON N3T 5R7
• Phone – please contact the City at 519-759-4150 Ext. 5138
• By E-mail – please contact the Project Team