Bridge closure halts cross-Canada traffic

Damage to the newly constructed Nipigon River Bridge in Northwestern Ontario could have a serious impact on Canadian travel.

Located near Red Rock east of Thunder Bay on Highway 17, an expansion joint on the bridge has failed due to recent cold snap, closing the highway in both directions at its western intersection with Highway 11.

Reports indicated the bridge will be closed indefinitely as engineers travel from Southern Ontario to assess the situation.

The Nipigon River Bridge is the only highway passage between Eastern and Western Canada.

Westbound Highway 17 commercial traffic is being routed through the United States via Sault Ste. Marie’s International Bridge crossing.

Nipigon has opened its community centre for at least the next 24 hours to offer shelter to those stranded on the Thunder Bay side of the bridge closure.

"We're being told it will probably be a couple of days before traffic gets moving so we want to be sure those who are traveling are safe, so no one is stuck out in the cold," said Nipigon Mayor Richard Harvey, according to a report by tbnewswatch.com.

Additional information will be published as it becomes available.