December Welland Canal bridge closures, ongoing maintenance

Two Welland Canal bridges will be temporarily closed this week to vehicular traffic for ongoing maintenance.

Bridge 1 (Lakeshore Road, St. Catharines) will be closed Dec. 9 from 8 a.m. to 5 a.m.

Bridge 21 (Clarence Street, Port Colborne) will be closed Dec. 12 from 7 a.m. to 5 a.m.

The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation says it will “do everything possible to minimize any inconvenience to the public” while the preventative work is taking place.

The bridges will be closed to cars and pedestrians.

READ MORE: OPP West Region reports attending to 162 crashes in 26 hours

The corporation is spending over $350 million on infrastructure upgrades over the next three years, of which $180 will be spent in the Welland Canal region.

The improvements — all part of the reinforcing the seaway’s important role in North American trade — will focus on maintaining and upgrading locks and bridges, energy infrastructure and ensuring the seaway remains efficient and reliable.