PAISLEY – Bruce County and Arran-Elderslie are excited to invite the public to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. to celebrate the grand opening of the new Paisley bridge.
A short ceremony will take place on the north side of the Paisley bridge, followed by a procession across the bridge. The bridge will officially open to traffic and pedestrians shortly thereafter.
Following the bridge opening, a celebration will take place at the Paisley Legion. Event attendees are also encouraged stay after the ceremony to enjoy the new sidewalks, and everything local businesses have to offer.
The Paisley bridge replacement project, on Bruce Road 3, began in May 2022 and has successfully progressed on budget. Total cost of the project was just under $10 million, $6.6 million of which came from the Canada Community Building Fund.
The new bridge allows for more river flow clearance and will have a service life of 75 years. The Municipality of Arran-Elderslie will have also completed road, sidewalk, water, and sanitary construction on Queen Street, north of the new Paisley bridge, by the Nov. 3 reopening.
Bruce County Warden Chris Peabody said, “With great excitement, we are pleased to announce the grand opening of the Paisley bridge on Nov. 3. Bruce County successfully collaborates with our municipal partners to provide necessary infrastructure enhancements to support shared industries and our growing economy. The new Paisley bridge on Bruce Road 3 will provide improved safety, services, and accessibility for the public long into the future.”
Arran-Elderslie Mayor Steve Hammell added, “Arran-Elderslie is a municipality rooted in collaboration. Our community consistently co-operates to produce celebrated fall fairs and other flagship events throughout the year. This bridge represents another core collaboration between the Municipality of Arran-Elderslie and the County of Bruce. We are grateful for the county’s leadership in this project. Infrastructure enhancements like the new Paisley bridge and the Queen Street upgrades, will have long-term benefits for our residents, industries, and visitors. Please join us in the beautiful village of Paisley to explore the new bridge and our fantastic downtown, as we get back to business.”
While the bridge and roadwork will be substantially completed by Nov. 3, the top lift paving will occur in the summer of 2024. There may be daytime temporary closures to facilitate some final restoration work into November while the temporary bridge and detour are still available for use.
The temporary bridge, which successfully served as an in-town detour for motorists and pedestrians, will be removed later in November 2023.
Motorists can continue to drive to and through Paisley while bridge construction is being completed. Paisley businesses are open.
Semi-trucks, tractor trailers, and agricultural equipment are asked to continue following the identified alternate truck routes until the Paisley bridge has officially opened.
