The County of Grande Prairie, Alberta held a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the new Rio Grand Bridge.
Local resident and farmer, Wayne Alde was joined by family members as he made the first official crossing by tractor. Several farmers work the land on both sides of the bridge.
“On behalf of County Council, I want to thank residents for their patience during the construction process,” said Deputy Reeve Peter Harris, area Councillor for Division 6. “The replacement bridge provides a significant improvement to transportation infrastructure that will serve the area well for many years to come.”
Planning is underway for a celebration with local residents in the coming weeks. The County Public Works department is coordinating an event with the Rio Grande Sports Association who will share details with residents soon.
The Rio Grande Bridge was valued at $9.25 million, and the project was completed by Formula Contractors Limited.
With the opening of the replacement bridge, the old bridge will be decommissioned. Salvage is expected to be completed by March 2023.
Featured image: (County of Grande Prairie – Facebook)