Replacement of wartime-era Alberta bridge edges closer with $2M in design funding

The reeve of the municipal district of Lesser Slave River says he's thrilled with a provincial grant that will help the municipality northwest of Edmonton replace an old bridge in the hamlet of Smith, Alta.

Last month, the Alberta government announced $2 million to fund a detailed design for the Smith Bridge.

The replacement bridge is expected to cost $75 million — by far the most expensive project listed among those receiving Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program grants this spring.

The municipal district received $1.7 million in preliminary design funding for the bridge through the same program last year.

"This is a good start and it shows the government's commitment to replacing this piece of infrastructure," said Murray Kerik, reeve of the municipal district.

The single-lane covered bridge that crosses the Athabasca River on Highway 2A has been a financial burden for the local government for years.

The U.S. Army built it during the Second World War during construction for the highway to Alaska. 

The bridge used to be the provincial government's responsibility but it was transferred to the municipal district after Highway 2 was realigned in the 1970s and the road became a local one.

Kerik said a new bridge with two lanes would allow more industrial traffic to cross the river. 

The bridge design is one of 86 approved infrastructure projects in in rural and small communities.

Devin Dreeshen, minister of transportation and economic corridors, said at a news conference last month that the grants will ensure communities have safe and efficient local infrastructure.

Smith has a population of 227 residents. In 2022, a ministerial assistant told CBC News that the bridge had a relatively low traffic count of about 280 vehicles per day.