Kingston's LaSalle Causeway expected to remain closed for 'several weeks'

CBC
·2 min read
The LaSalle Causeway in Kingston, Ont., is closed until further notice, according to Public Services and Procurement Canada. (Dan Taekema/CBC - image credit)
The LaSalle Causeway in Kingston, Ont., is closed until further notice, according to Public Services and Procurement Canada. (Dan Taekema/CBC - image credit)

UPDATE | On April 12, 2024, the City of Kingston issued an update confirming that the LaSalle Causeway will not reopen in time for the marine season, which usually begins May 1. 

A key crossing in Kingston is expected to remain closed to all forms of traffic including pedestrians and cyclists for several weeks after part of it was damaged during construction.

The LaSalle Causeway opened more than a century ago and connects downtown Kingston with its eastern suburbs. Part of it is a Bascule bridge, which uses a counterweight to let boats through.

In an update on Thursday, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) said a steel truss that supports the counterweight was damaged on March 30, while work was underway to strengthen it.

While a complete assessment of the damage still needs to be carried out, "preliminary indications are that the LaSalle Causeway will be closed for several weeks," PSPC said.

No one was injured as a result of the incident, according to PSPC.

The LaSalle Causeway opened in 1917 and has been undergoing rehabilitation work in recent weeks. This photos shows the bridge on April 2, 2024.
The LaSalle Causeway opened in 1917 and has been undergoing rehabilitation work in recent weeks. This photos shows the bridge on April 2, 2024.

The LaSalle Causeway opened in 1917 and has been undergoing rehabilitation work in recent weeks. This photos shows the bridge on April 2. (Dan Taekema/CBC)

Traffic barriers and signs warning of the closure are in place, but a string of vehicles drove past them earlier this week, only to turn around when they encountered the pylons.

All traffic including emergency vehicles should use the Waaban Crossing instead, according to PSPC.

The causeway opened in 1917 and has recently been undergoing rehabilitation work. The bridge had been limited to one lane in recent weeks and was expected to be closed to vehicles during the past weekend, but now it's not clear when it will reopen.

PSPC said "specialized equipment" is now in place. Once it's safe to access the site, crews should be able to stabilize the bridge structure.

Part of the causeway is a Bascule bridge, which uses a counterweight to let boats through. Public Services and Procurement Canada says an element of the bridge was "compromised" during construction.
Part of the causeway is a Bascule bridge, which uses a counterweight to let boats through. Public Services and Procurement Canada says an element of the bridge was "compromised" during construction.

Part of the causeway is a Bascule bridge, which uses a counterweight to let boats through. Public Services and Procurement Canada says a steel truss supporting the weight was 'compromised' during construction. (Dan Taekema/CBC)

The closure comes as Kingston is bracing for tens of thousands of visitors for the solar eclipse on April 8, when the causeway would have been a crucial link for tourists and locals alike.

PSCP said it will continue to provide updates and hopes to reopen the bridge as soon as possible.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Automakers hit 'significant storm,' as buyers reject lofty prices at time of huge capital outlays

    DETROIT (AP) — Investors are punishing automakers' stocks this week after second-quarter earnings reports exposed industrywide issues of slowing sales and high prices, just as the companies are having to spend huge sums to make new electric and gas vehicles.

  • I Have Driven Over 250 Car Models: These Are the 3 Best and Worst for Your Money

    With so many models and options on the market, choosing the right car for your money isn't easy. The wrong choice leaves you trapped in a money pit, draining your finances with repair costs, poor gas...

  • Ferry operator's ban on recalled EVs highlights need for more safety rules, experts say

    A decision by an Ontario ferry operator to ban recalled Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrids from its boats has highlighted the potential fire risk posed by electric vehicles — and some experts say governments and businesses need to do more to establish safety standards for their use and storage.The risk of EV fires appears to be low, and vehicle makers have been responsive to the problems that have emerged, said George Iny, the president of the Automobile Protection Association.But EV fires, when

  • Cyclist dead after Yorkville collision with dump truck driver

    A cyclist is dead after she was struck by a dump truck driver in Yorkville Thursday morning, Toronto police say.The crash happened around 8:48 a.m. in the area of Bloor Street W. and Avenue Road, Acting Duty Insp. Jason Bartlett told reporters at the scene.The cyclist was going west in the Bloor bike lane when she exited the lane and continued on in the same direction, he said."At that same time, a dump truck that was also travelling westbound struck that cyclist and they were pronounced decease

  • Both highways in Pismo Beach are about to face a month of traffic slowdowns. Here’s why

    A construction project will affect both Highways 1 and 101.

  • Motorious Readers Get More Entries to Win the Hurst Performance Pair Up of a Lifetime

    Get more tickets to win.

  • GM Arlington Assembly rolls out its 13 millionth vehicle: A $150,000 Cadillac Escalade-V

    Happy 70th birthday to the GM Arlington Assembly plant ... and all the North Texans who have worked there over the decades!

  • Toyota to build EV battery plant for Lexus cars, Nikkei reports

    TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan's Toyota Motor plans to build a battery plant for electric vehicles in the southwestern prefecture of Fukuoka and supply its batteries to a factory that makes luxury Lexus brand cars, the Nikkei business daily reported on Friday. The world's top-selling automaker would seek to make the island of Kyushu where Fukuoka is located a central part of its supply chain for battery-powered vehicles and an export base for Asia, the newspaper said. A Toyota spokesperson said the company was aware of the report, but that it was not something it had announced.

  • AP Explains: French train lines hit by 'malicious acts' disrupting traffic ahead of Olympics

    High-speed trains around France were hit by several “malicious acts”, heavily disrupting traffic on the day of the high-risk opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. The AP's Angela Charlton explains.

  • Driver dead after 2 vehicles collide in Mississauga

    A driver is dead after two vehicles collided in Mississauga on Wednesday, one hitting a hydro pole and catching fire, Peel police say.The collision happened near the intersection of McLaughlin Road and Britannia Road West. Police said they were called to the area at about 3:30 p.m.Const. Nikhil Chakravarthy, spokesperson for Peel Regional Police, told reporters that the driver of the vehicle that hit the pole was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver remained at the scene and is co-oper

  • Man who killed mum in crash and fled scene jailed

    Leon Roberts is jailed for causing Sharna Burgin's death in Sheffield in February 2023.

  • Xpeng aims to steal a march on Tesla's FSD by updating its self-driving software earlier

    Xpeng plans to unveil an update to its autonomous driving software next week, as the Guangzhou-based electric vehicle builder and partner of Volkswagen tries to steal a march on Tesla before the US carmaker's release of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software in mainland China. Xpeng's XOS 5.2.0 advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) is scheduled for release through its over-the-air software update on July 30, the carmaker said. Senior executives and designers will shed light on how the update ca

  • 7k-Mile 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS Available on Bring a Trailer

    Grab this super rare Porsche.

  • Barges swept down raging river crash into bridge in Philippines

    A dramatic scene in Metro Manila, Philippines on Wednesday afternoon as several barges crashed into a bridge after being swept downstream by the raging Marikina River. Shocking footage captured the flat-bed vessels slamming into the bridge, with some getting stuck underneath and even sinking. Typhoon Gaemi has brought more intense monsoon rains to the region.

  • These Are the Best Crossovers for 2024 and 2025

    Although the boundary between crossover and SUV is murky these days, here are our favorite crossovers including compact, mid-size, hybrid, and luxury models.

  • Train driver, safety official convicted over Spain's worst train crash in decades

    A Spanish train driver and a former traffic safety chief at national rail infrastructure operator ADIF were sentenced on Friday to two-and-a-half years in prison over a train disaster that killed 79 people 11 years ago. Presiding judge Elena Fernandez Curras said two elements caused the derailment: the driver got distracted when receiving a call, and there was no safety system in place in case the driver did not respect the speed limit. The defendants and the insurance companies of ADIF and Renfe were sentenced to pay 25 million euros ($27.14 million) in damages to the victims in the civil part of the trial.

  • Restoration Brings 1970 Dodge Super Bee Back to Life

    With Modern Performance Upgrades.

  • Carmichael man among 2 dead in Humboldt County plane crash near airport, officials say

    Gabriel Joshua Kulp, 49, of Grass Valley, and Thomias Edward Smith, 60, of Carmichael, died in a crash Tuesday.

  • French rail lines disrupted by ‘coordinated sabotage’ ahead of Paris Olympics opening ceremony

    France’s high-speed train lines were targeted by multiple “malicious” acts including arson on Friday, in what has been described as “an attack on France” and “coordinated sabotage” to disrupt travel ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

  • Nissan's Q1 profit plunges 99% as US discounts shred margins

    STORY: Nissan slashed its annual outlook Thursday after reporting a 99% plunge in first-quarter profits.That’s as deep discounting in the U.S. shredded the Japanese automaker’s margins. Nissan’s shares fell following the results, which were far short of analyst expectations.Operating profit for April-June was just $6.5 million.That was just a fraction of the roughly $1 billion profit predicted ahead of the results. It marks Nissan’s worst quarterly performance in more than three years.While global sales remained even year-on-year at 787,000 vehicles, the profit from those sales was hit by an increase in discounts and marketing costs. That’s as Nissan tried to ride out intense competition, particularly in the U.S. The automaker, which has struggled in the U.S., said sales there were also hurt by an aging portfolio and a market shift to hybrid vehicles. However, the firm's CEO told Reuters that Nissan plans to bolster sales with fresh models in the second half of the year. Despite this, investors will now likely worry about the car maker's outlook in the United States.That concern adds to Nissan’s woes in China, where it has seen tough competition from domestic rivals.Shares in the company tumbled around 11% at one point before finishing down 7% - their biggest one-day decline since February.