St. Paul Street train bridge in St. Catharines to close Monday

A CN Rail bridge in St. Catharines will be closing to all vehicular traffic to undergo vital structural repairs as of Monday.

The Niagara Region says the repairs are necessary to update the 101 year old bridge that officials say would likely not make it through the winter.

Given its current condition, the weight of winter maintenance vehicles would be too much for the bridge to hold.

While vehicular traffic will be detoured, pedestrians and cyclists will still have access to the bridge and all businesses on St. Paul Street West will remain open and accessible during the closure.

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Vehicles will be detoured on Pelham Road to Louth Street, and Great Western Street will convert to one-way traffic northbound.

A full shutdown to all forms of transportation is expected when the removal process begins in March 2024, with the closure set to last until the end of 2026.

The replacement is part of a broader project from the region that includes improvements to the St. Catharines GO Station, creating GO Station access from Ridley Road and more improvements to roads and intersections.

The region says these projects are being grouped together to allow for faster and more efficient construction.