Sudbury ponders options to fix crumbling College Street underpass, city's oldest bridge

Next week, Sudbury city council will decide how to rehabilitate the College Street underpass, which was built in 1949.

The oldest bridge in the city is badly in need of repairs and council will decide Nov. 26 whether to proceed with the staff-recommended option of installing a roundabout and cycling infrastructure at the site, at a cost of $25 million.

"The last biennial bridge inspections in Greater Sudbury were completed in 2022 and included a visual assessment of the condition of the College Street underpass," a staff report said.

"Comments included in that specific report indicated that the structure has restricted clearances, poor visibility, and is in poor condition. The recommended capital work from the 2022 inspection was to replace the bridge."

Wire mesh has been installed on the bridge soffit to prevent crumbling concrete from falling onto the roadway and sidewalk.

Complicating the repair process is the fact three railway tracks run along the top of the structure. Under an agreement with the railway, the city would need to keep the tracks open during the repair. The cost of adding a temporary, three-track detour to allow work to be done is $40 million, the report said, limiting their options.

Staff is recommending the $25 million option that would extend the life of the existing bridge for another 25 to 30 years. Money for the work has already been budgeted in a special capital levy of $1.9 million a year.

"The existing three-lane cross section would be reconfigured to accommodate one vehicular travel lane, along with space for sidewalks and cycling facilities, in both directions to provide a link to the existing and planned active transportation network," the report said.

The oldest bridge in Sudbury -- the College Street underpass -- is badly in need of repairs and council will decide Nov. 26 whether to proceed with the staff-recommended option of installing a roundabout and cycling infrastructure at the site, at a cost of $25 million. (Darren MacDonald photo)

"The addition of cycling infrastructure to the College Street underpass, and to the section of College Street from Frood Road to Elm Street, would provide a safe and connected route between Elm Street and the West End, through the Donovan and Flour Mill neighbourhoods, to Notre Dame Avenue and the Paris-Notre Dame Bikeway."

The left-turning lane from College Street onto Frood Road would be eliminated in favour of a roundabout that would improve traffic flow, the report said.

"The proposed roundabout will be constructed to connect with the future Ste. Anne Road extension," the report said.

"To accommodate the construction of the proposed roundabout, adjacent property at the northeast and northwest corners of the intersection are required to be purchased and have been considered in project costs. Discussions with the affected property owner have been ongoing in anticipation of this project."

The plan is to connect with the planned Ste. Anne Road extension, which aims to offer a bypass around downtown and reduce vehicle traffic on Elm Street – especially on the tracks on Elm Street where traffic often backs up.

A second option – for $13 million – would focus only on rehabbing the bridge and improving the clearance, as well as additional costs to connect it with the Ste. Anne project later.

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A third option would focus on repairs to the existing structure only and would cost $9 million.

Both options would allow the city to use the money already budgeted for other projects.

The final option would be to do nothing and put off a decision for another year. But as project costs rise, repairs will only get more expensive in the future, the report said, while the city will have to spend money to maintain the underpass.

"As the concrete structure continues to deteriorate through spalling and delamination over the short term, localized removal of loose concrete will be necessary to safeguard the public," the report said.

"This additional maintenance work would commence in 2025 and be completed twice annually."

Read the full report here.