The Parliament buildings and Ottawa skyline are over the Alexandra Bridge as the sun sets on Sept.7, 2022.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Federal officials say six decades of road salt has spelled the end for a 123-year old interprovincial bridge in Ottawa.
The Alexandra Bridge has to be taken down because of rust, officials from the Procurement Department say.
The procurement process for a new bridge will start in the fall, when the public will have a chance to weigh in on three design options.
Officials refused to say how much they think it will cost, but a 2018 assessment suggested a new bridge would come to $800 million.
The bridge opened in 1901, carrying trains, streetcars and horse-drawn wagons.
It’s currently closed to vehicles to undergo maintenance work until early next year, and will likely be torn down by 2030.
Editor’s note: This is a corrected story. An earlier version provided an incorrect cost estimate for the replacement bridge.