Independent Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy is once again pressing the province for a long-term replacement plan for the aging Taylor Bridge.
During question period Thursday, Kealy described a hypothetical motorcyclist crossing the bridge on Highway 97 who could hit one of several new holes in the bridge deck grating.
Kealy says recurring holes and repeated repairs on the bridge continue to raise safety concerns for northern drivers.
“This is now the third time in less than a year that I have stood in this House raising concerns about the Taylor Bridge,” Kealy said.
He asked whether the province was waiting for “a preventable tragedy” before committing to replacing the bridge through the 10-year capital plan.
Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth responded by saying the province recognizes the bridge is nearing the end of its lifespan and confirmed planning work for a replacement is underway.
“We’re looking to advance the project so it can be part of the infrastructure capital plan of the province,” Farnworth said, adding the bridge is regularly inspected and repaired and remains safe for travel.
The minister’s comments mirror remarks he made earlier this month in an interview with CJDC-TV News, where he said the province was no longer treating the project as simply an “ongoing study.”
“We’re doing work necessary so that we can get it on the 10-year capital plan,” Farnworth told CJDC-TV at the time.
The Taylor Bridge, built in 1960, is a key transportation corridor linking the Peace region with the rest of northeastern B.C.
Roughly 7,500 vehicles cross the bridge daily, with commercial traffic accounting for about 30 per cent of crossings.
Concerns about the bridge intensified earlier this year after a Freedom of Information request obtained by the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association.
The FOI revealed decades of corrosion, cracked beams that had been repeatedly welded and repaired, and deterioration to parts of the structure.
In Thursday’s exchange, Kealy argued that “metal fatigue does not reverse” and questioned how long northern residents would continue hearing assurances the bridge is being monitored.
He asked Farnworth directly how much lifespan remains in the bridge and when the province plans to formally begin a replacement project.
Farnworth did not provide a timeline or estimate for the bridge’s remaining service life. However, he repeated that inspections by engineers continue to deem the structure safe.
“We know that it is coming to the end of its life. We know that it will have to be replaced,” Farnworth said.
Farnworth also said work is underway to assess structural and geotechnical issues on the north slope of the bridge as part of longer-term replacement planning.
The debate comes as another round of repairs is set to begin on the bridge later this month, with overnight lane closures expected through the end of June.