Algonquin Pedestrian Bridge reconnects Manitoba’s historic Crow Wing Trail

October 20, 2020

A new bridge just outside St-Pierre-Jolys has reconnected the ~200 km Crow Wing Trail, a recreational trail following the historic Red River ox cart trail that was used in the 1800s to transport goods from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Winnipeg.

After an old bridge had broken down over Joubert Creek, trail users had spent a number of years detouring onto Provincial Road 205 until increased vehicle traffic made it too unsafe. So Crow Wing Trail Association volunteers and other community members were very excited to finally cut the ribbon on their new Algonquin Pedestrian Bridge on October 5, 2020.

We’re not just building prefabricated bridges, we’re building relationships
We are proud to have built a strong relationship with the Crow Wing Trail Association over the last few years on their journey to get their beloved trail reconnected with a cost-effective solution. In fact, our Technical Sales Representative, Thomas Ritter, was invited to attend the ceremony and speak on behalf of Algonquin Bridge.

Thomas and the Algonquin Bridge Team collaborated with the Association and their project partners very early in the planning stages to come up with an economical solution that would fit their budget and achieve their goals. Using our extensive experience gained from previous projects, we were able to re-use an existing design with a narrower deck width and a naturally weathering steel finish.

“From the first contact with Algonquin Bridge, we very much appreciated their quick responses to our questions and their flexibility in delivery time,” affirms Murielle Bugera, President of the Crow Wing Trail Association. “For such a large company, it sure knows how to have a small company feel. Just what non-profit organizations in small rural companies need.”

Major delay in trail bridge site construction due to funding availability
The site construction project experienced an unexpected delay on the funding front and we were able to hold the completed bridge in the yard at our Thorndale, Ontario, manufacturing facility for six months. In the end, the funding came from several sources: half from Trans Canada Trail, while the Province, the RM of De Salaberry, Trails Manitoba, Village Connection, Pier Solutions and several other partners made up the rest. Even Algonquin Bridge chipped in with a donation.

The bridge is located near the St-Pierre-Jolys Museum and will allow visitors to better enjoy its Crow Wing Trail displays and other local attractions and services. This project will be entered into the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction’s Design Awards Competition in 2021.

Steinbachonline.com coverage of the new bridge >>

Crow Wing Trail Association’s Blog Post >>