FORT FRANCES — The installation of new lift towers will allow a damaged railway lift bridge on the CN line between Fort Frances and Thunder Bay to return to normal operation some time in June.
The Five Mile Bridge on Rainy Lake was closed in August 2024 after it collapsed, leaving a tangle of twisted metal on the Canadian side of Sand Bay near the Noden Causeway.
The incident impacted boat traffic beneath the bridge, but CN received emergency approval from the federal government for temporary repairs to allow trains to use the crossing the following month.
Last month, CN asked Transport Canada for permission — as required by the Canadian Navigable Waters Act — to make further repairs which will allow marine traffic to resume.
The railway is installing new lift towers on each end of the bridge, and expects to complete the job around June 1.
A CN spokesperson told Newswatch the repairs are "essential to restore navigation and ensure continued safety, reliability and long-term infrastructure resilience on this critical corridor."
The bridge normally stays in a down position from mid-November to April 30 each year.
