AH balks at Million Dollar Culvert On Bridge Street in Denbigh

On October 14, the major culvert on Bridge Street in Denbigh buckled, and Addington Highlands Road Crews and the Denbigh Fire Department worked to secure the street and close it off to traffic.

The culvert must now be replaced, a process that could take 10 months and cost $1 million dollars. Meanwhile, Bridge Street is closed to through traffic.

Deputy Reeve Tony Fritsch asked Public Works Manager Brett Reavie if there was any way that the road can be re-opened, even with one lane and only for small vehicles, as the closure curtails access to the Denbigh Hall and Park, and to Glaesers Store.

Reavie said that “one side of the road certainly looks better from the surface, but he would “hesitate to do anything against the recommendation of our engineer, but I will inquire with them. The township's engineering contractor, Jewell Engineering prepared a report detailing their proposal for the replacement of the culvert.

The engineering process, which will cost over $75,000, includes a series of reports, including a geotechnical investigation and design report, an assessment of past uses report, soil classification, archaeological assessment and fisheries and species at risk reports. Jewell's report anticipated construction taking place in the summer of 2026.

As Reavie pointed out, the most recent road and bridge assessment done by the township two years ago identified the culvert as requiring replacement within one to five years, making it the second project on the priority list, and the cost estimate was $1 million at that time.

Councillor Thompson asked Reavie whether engineering was really necessary for the project.

“I talked to a company and they said they could do it right away, at much less cost ... can we even do it ourselves. We replaced another culvert of similar size on Rose Hill Road ourselves, can we not do this one. The culvert has been there, what, 50 years. I mean a million dollars, and all these studies. I mean, that's craziness. I’m just asking the question. I realise you are doing what you have to do, but do we have to do what Jewell Engineering wants us to do?” he said.

I guess I can investigate that further,” said Reavie, “I don't want to say that we can do something and get myself in trouble for saying it.”

“I'm sure we'd have to contact the Ministry of the Environment to see what they say, but doing it this time we don't have fish spawning, birds nesting, anything to slow us down,” said Thompson.

“I can investigate what our other options are and report back to Council,” Reavie said.

“The report is almost a wish list,” said Councillor Hook, supporting Thompson's point.

Reavie will report back at the next meeting.

“There is a sense of urgency in the community, the feeling is that it should be dealt with sooner than later, and it is having a detrimental impact on the one business that is at the north end of the road.”

Fritsch also thanked Reavie and the roads department for closing off the road quickly and safely on the day when it failed.