Winnipeg’s Arlington Bridge is coming down – at last

The decommissioning of the old and tired Arlington Bridge in Winnipeg has finally begun.

After years of studies, discussions and delays, work on removing the bridge began in June.

Opened in 1912, the Arlington Bridge goes over the huge (1,149 acres) Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (CPKC) freight yard.

At 2,155 feet long, it’s the longest of the more than 100 bridges and overpasses in Winnipeg.

It is an important north-south transportation link that connects the west end, south of the yards, to the north end, north of the yards.

“This is the next step toward building a new Arlington Bridge for the north end,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham in an announcement. “We’re removing the old bridge and designing its replacement. The next bridge will be safer, more accessible, and built to serve Winnipeg for generations.”

The Arlington Bridge has been getting worried looks for years.

In 2016, an engineering report said the bridge was coming to the end of its serviceable life.

The report led to the Better Bridge for Arlington Study, and to a preliminary design for a new bridge in 2019.

At the end of November 2023, the bridge’s long goodbye came to an end.

It was shut down after a study showed it was in such bad shape that it could not be repaired or rebuilt on the same foundation.

In January 2025, city council approved $17 million for the bridge’s decommissioning and removal.

Damir Muhurdarevic, Winipeg’s bridge projects engineer, says, “This year’s work involves decommissioning/demolition of the southern portion of the bridge. This includes removal of the south ramp and the five southern trusses. The south ramp does not extend over the yard; the five southern trusses do.”

Muhurdarevic says the city expects the removal of the south ramp to take between four and six weeks.

“We expect to start over-yard work on July 13,” he says. “We expect this to take six to eight weeks. During this period, we will remove the five southern trusses, including five spans and piers, from south to north.”

The general contractor for the Arlington Bridge demolition is Kiewit Construction Services ULC. Three of its four subcontractors are Manitoba companies.

Although the Arlington Bridge demolition is a City of Winnipeg project, CPKC says it is “engaged with the city about its plans for the demolition, which includes co-ordination to minimize any potential impact on the rail yard, which will remain operational.”

City Coun. Ross Eadie, who represents the north end Mynarski ward, says the project is complex and expensive.

“The bridge is ready to fail and the city is liable for damages if it does,” says Eadie. “There are very few companies in North America that have the expertise to take down a bridge, because it’s very risky. CPKC needs an update on the demolition every 15 minutes, so it can handle safely the logistics of train and freight car movement in the yard.”

In addition to the Arlington Bridge demolition, Winnipeg Public Works has on its plate 175 kilometres of roadway, 50 sidewalks and 15 kilometres of bike lanes and active transportation routes this year.

The work includes renewing St. Mary’s Road from the south Perimeter Highway to the Floodway; the renewal of Lagimodiere Boulevard; and the repair of downtown Edmonton, Kennedy and St. Mary streets.

Although that work is certainly welcome, Chris Lorenc, president of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) says his members “could be busier.”

“Government budgets have not been keeping up with inflation,” says Lorenc. “For example, the provincial highway capital budget in 2016 was $640 million. In 2026 it was only $525 million. Just to keep up with inflation, the budget should be $1.2 billion.”

Compared to the province, says Lorenc, the City of Winnipeg has been trying to keep pace with inflation.

“There will be plenty of work getting underway this spring and summer, as the city has budgeted $156.8 million to improve roads and sidewalks,” he says. “It sets a good example for the province to follow, but so far there have been no takers.”

On a personal note, Lorenc was raised and still lives in the north end. He says he “grew up with the bridge,” crossing it many times throughout his life. 

“It’s an iconic Winnipeg structure,” says Lorenc. “Although it was structurally unsound, it would have been nice to keep it in some form, like the High Line in New York. The Arlington Bridge has wonderful character. To lose it is sad.”