Arrowwood bridge repair begins

Times Contributor 

 

Those who routinely use the bridge access on Hwy 547, leading into the village of Arrowwood, will be glad to hear bridge repairs have begun.

The flood had damaged the abutments and there has been no access to Arrowwood on that road since June 2013.

General Manager of Transportation and Infrastructure for Wheatland County David Churchill said the closure was necessary due to safety concerns, but he is glad to see that repair is finally underway. 

He stated repairs will be done to make the bridge safe; however, no improvements to the bridge will be done at this time.

The bridge spans the main access road to areas on the Siksika reserve and it is the most commonly used route from Hwy 1 to Arrowwood. The alternate route diverted travelers back west, circling around to Highway 22X, which is a much longer route.

Business owner Bill Graff is also happy to see work begin on the bridge. 

Graff said he was giving the alternate directions to his clients almost three times a day. 

Businesses in Arrowwood had suffered from the bridge closure, some businesses experiencing up to 50 per cent reductions in overall sales. The local car wash had to close down due to declining business. Many of the First Nations people use the Scotiabank in Arrowwood for their financial services. 

Workers told Graff that work on the bridge will be completed by October and he expects that business will bounce back to normal and customers will resume their patronage of local businesses.