The Township of North Glengarry will spend approximately $369,000 to rehabilitate McPhee Bridge after a recent inspection found the structure to be in fair-to-poor condition. Council awarded the $368,816 contract, plus applicable taxes, to Willis Kerr Contracting at its Monday, September 14 meeting.
McPhee Bridge is located on McPhee Road, about 1.1 kilometres north of Glen Robertson Road. Built in 2010, the single-lane bridge has a 14.6-metre timber deck supported by steel girders.
A 2025 bridge inspection identified severe splintering, splitting, rot, and crushing of the timber deck, as well as significant rot and deformation at the south end of the structure. The inspection recommended timber repairs and other maintenance work, including repairs to the timber curb, removal of a fallen tree, replacement of embankment fill, and addressing an elevation difference at the road approach.
A 2023 inspection had also recommended replacement of the guide rail end treatments.
The 2026 study conducted in partnership with the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry (SDG) identified McPhee Bridge as requiring urgent attention.
North Glengarry Director of Public Works Timothy Wright described the project as a relatively minor rehabilitation compared with several major bridge projects completed by the township in recent years.
“Since 2024, we’ve done the three major bridge rehabilitations downtown,” Wright said, referring to the Bishop Street, Dominion Street, and Centre Street bridges.
He said the township is now moving toward the maintenance phase of its bridge rehabilitation program, with work focused on extending the life of existing structures rather than undertaking full rehabilitations.
The planned work includes replacing the timber deck, installing guardrail and crash barriers at the approaches, and reinforcing the retaining walls on both sides of the bridge with gabion baskets.
McPhee Bridge is on a seasonal road that is not plowed during the winter and is heavily used by agricultural equipment, Wright said.
Councillor Michael Madden said photographs included in the staff report showed deterioration that is not necessarily apparent to people using the bridge.
Madden, who said he has crossed the bridge on his motorcycle, noted the timber’s condition was worse than he expected based on its appearance while travelling across it.
He also pointed to the deterioration around the bridge approaches, noting that rock was slumping and there was significant infiltration. He said the planned gabion baskets should help address the problem and extend the bridge’s life.
“This will definitely extend the life of that bridge for a significant period of time. It’s the right time to do it,” Madden said.
Wright said Willis Kerr’s submission was the lowest complete and compliant bid and was considered to be at a competitive market price. He also credited the United Counties of SDG, specifically Manager of Capital Works – Bridges Matthew Brownell, for assisting the township’s bridge rehabilitation program.
The project will be funded through the township’s capital budget and was approved unanimously without further discussion.
