Edmonton mayor calls High Level Bridge ‘iconic’ but said it must be replaced for safety

Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack joins Kent Morrison to talk about the possibility the High Level Bridge could be demolished, downtown vacancies, and more.

Edmonton’s mayor discussed a new report that states both the High Level and Low Level bridges need to be replaced in an interview on CTV Your Morning Edmonton Wednesday.

Rehabilitation work will be completed on both bridges in the coming years, however, the report states long-term rehabilitation is no longer a feasible or fiscally responsible approach.

It says the cost of maintaining just the High Level Bridge could be upwards of $1 billion dollars over the next 75 years.

“There just comes a point in the lifespan of a bridge that you can’t keep fixing, no matter how iconic that bridge is,” said Mayor Andrew Knack.

The mayor acknowledged Edmontonians have an attachment to the bridge so the discussion around what will replace it is important.

“It’s amazing,” said Knack. “How do you do a replacement that looks like it? That incorporates elements of it?”

The High Level Bridge was designated a Municipal Historic Resource more than thirty years ago, meaning it cannot currently be demolished or “inappropriately altered”.

Council can however repeal the bylaw that gives it that designation, which has only been done three times since 1982.

“We’ll have to think about how we rebuild it in a way that respects that heritage and legacy,” Knack said.

He added that bridge safety is not something council can take a chance on so it’s important to listen to city staff.

“The city teams, that have been maintaining our bridges for years, have a very clear plan to ensure the safety of Edmontonians.”