Keeping communities connected with a new bridge deck

As a designated national historic site of Canada and Canadian Society for Engineering historic site, the St. Andrews Lock and Dam in Lockport, Manitoba, is quite a sight. Spanning 270 metres, the lock and dam took 10 years to build and is the largest of its type in the world.

In 1910, the lock and dam was originally built and opened to help boats travel from Lake Winnipeg to the city of Winnipeg. Most parts of the current structure are original.

In 1913, a bridge deck was added to allow motorists and pedestrians to cross. As the last replacement of the bridge deck was in the 1950s, it needed to be replaced to improve durability, safety and accessibility.

It’s all about community

The bridge over the St. Andrews Lock and Dam is a lifeline for the residents of Lockport. The structure connects the town to other communities and is a high tourist draw. Local businesses in the area rely on the connection for visitors and for receiving goods throughout the year.

To limit the impact to residents during construction in 2021 to 2023, a single lane of traffic remained open to motorists the majority of the time. Pedestrians and cyclists used temporary pathways on the side of the bridge. Marine traffic was not affected.

Barbara Abrahamson, a Strategic Portfolio Advisor at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), became the project leader for the Bridge Deck Replacement Project in the summer of 2021. She heard first-hand how important the replacement was to the residents of Lockport.

“The local community considers the St. Andrews Lock and Dam to be a connector to other communities and a draw for tourists, which as a result, supports local businesses. It’s really rewarding to know that the work PSPC has done on this project will benefit the community for years to come,” says Abrahamson.

The new bridge deck

In 2019, PSPC awarded a design and engineering contract to Associated Engineering to provide expertise and services in civil engineering for the new design of the bridge deck. In 2021, 2 years later, a $37-million-dollar construction contract was awarded to M.D. Steele Construction Limited to oversee the construction phase and rehabilitation of the St. Andrews Lock and Dam.

In addition to working with the contractors, PSPC coordinated the project with:

• municipal, provincial and federal departments and agencies
• members of the local community
• Indigenous rights holders

Together, the project partners made sure the new bridge deck was replaced in a safe and timely manner for the local communities and visitors.

The renovations done by PSPC and its partners have extended the service life of the bridge deck for another 75 years, while preserving this important Canadian heritage landmark. Today, the replaced bridge deck features:

• a wider roadway for vehicle traffic
• a repaired steel support structure to match the provincial standard and allow for increased load capacity
• a new wide multi-use pathway with accessible ramps, better lighting, tactile paving and visual contrast stairs to support users with vision impairment or low vision
• higher railings on the pathway to protect cyclists

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on July 16, 2023, and the bridge deck is now open to the public.

You can learn more about the replacement on the St. Andrews Lock and Dam: Bridge Deck Replacement Project. You can also find other articles about PSPC people and projects at Our stories.