Ford announces plan to repair Dufferin Street bridge
Posted June 5, 2013 6:49 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Mayor Rob Ford has announced an 18-month plan to repair the aging Dufferin Street Bridge.
Ford said some structural concerns were brought to his attention on Friday, prompting him to take a tour of the bridge to see the damage first hand.
“It’s in terrible shape,” he told the media after the tour. “It’s no secret folks that public safety is my top priority.”
Ford said they have a traffic management plan to minimize the impact on commuters and those who live in the neighbouhood.
The bridge, which was built in 1912 and carries about 18,000 cars a day, will be closed to all vehicular traffic starting Jun. 12. During repairs the bridge will remain open for pedestrians and cyclists.
The mayor said the city is currently working on how to accommodate increased pedestrian traffic on the bridge when Toronto hosts the Honda Indy, the CNE as well as the annual Labour Day parade.
After thanking city employees who have worked on infrastructure maintenance over the last year Ford took a jab at the 18 city councilors who attended the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference in Vancouver.
“This is where our tax dollars should be spent – not on trips to Vancouver,” Ford said. “I don’t need to attend a conference – at taxpayers’ expense – to know that we need support from the provincial and federal government for the city’s infrastructure.”
Ford called the 2013 budget the “infrastructure budget” and said the city will be investing in sidewalks, roads and expressways.
