Guelph bridge closed until further notice due to safety concerns

Guelph City Hall is pictured in a file photo.

A bridge in Guelph is now closed due to safety concerns that were flagged during a recent structural condition assessment.

In a news release, the city said McQuillan’s Bridge closed Wednesday because “…the bridge is no longer able to support public use…”

The bridge is located south of Stone Road East and stretches over the Eramosa River.

The city said it regularly monitors the bridge and the structural concerns came up during those routine inspections.

Crews will be setting up barriers as soon as the weather allows.

Pedestrians are asjed to stay off the bridge and use Stone Road East as an alternative route.

A long history

The bridge’s history spans decades. It was built back in 1916 on what was once the boundary between the Township of Guelph and the Township of Puslinch.

It is considered to be an early example of reinforced concrete bow string truss construction and was built to replace a wooden bridge as the nearby population grew.

The city said they will be looking at what can be done with the bridge in the future. They are also hoping to focus on active transportation, heritage, and safety.