High Level Bridge closing in 2027 for urgent repairs after summer of storms

The summer of 2026 brought record rainfall to Edmonton that damaged homes and other infrastructure — and is also forcing the closure of one of the city’s largest bridges.

The City of Edmonton said the High Level Bridge must undergo urgent repairs in 2027 after sustaining damage caused by the severe storms in June and July.

Landslides and erosion from the heavy rainfall affected the river valley slopes next to the bridge. Back in June, one of the bridge’s sidewalks was closed for that very reason.

To minimize disruptions, the city said it will also complete the High Level’s planned rehabilitation at the same time — one year earlier than planned.

Completing both projects at the same time will allow the work to be done in one season instead of two.

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The one-way southbound bridge, which sees 24,000 to 27,000 vehicles per day, will be fully closed to traffic during next year’s construction.

“We recognize that Edmontonians rely on our major bridges,” said Sara Nichols, deputy city manager of Infrastructure Services.

“By combining the urgent repairs with the planned rehabilitation of the High Level Bridge, we will reduce the total duration and number of closures overall.”

The steel structure has been an iconic part of Edmonton’s skyline since it was built in the early 1900s but a closer look at rusting girders and beams reveals their aging state.

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At 113 years old, the High Level Bridge has surpassed the typical bridge life expectancy of 75 to 100 years and is living on borrowed time.

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Rehabilitation work every few decades have kept the structure in service, but continuing to do that will eventually end up costing more than replacement.

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Earlier this year, the city said a more fulsome rehabilitation would exceed $1 billion — which the city said was not feasible or fiscally responsible — so the bridge needs to be replaced in the next dozen or so years.

The High Level Bridge’s rehabilitation next year will ensure it continues to be safe and operational while long-term planning for its eventual replacement moves forward, the city said on Friday.

Work will include repairs to bridge components such as bearings, substructure components on land, the deck surface and structural drainage.

A column in the middle of the east sidewalk will also be removed to improve safety and the experience for people walking and cycling across the bridge.

Pedestrian access will be maintained when possible, with detours, alternative routes and access changes shared in advance.

To accommodate the updated timeline and reduce traffic gridlock on the other bridges in and out of downtown, planned rehabilitation of the northbound Low Level Bridge lanes has been moved from 2027 to 2028.

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Planning, design and construction of a new bridge are slated for 2031 to 2039.

1:58 High Level and Low Level bridges need to be replaced: City of Edmonton

The High Level Bridge is one of the few bridges ever constructed in Edmonton accommodate four modes of transportation: train, streetcar, automobile and pedestrian.

It was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway between 1910 and 1913. It literally bridged the divide between two communities: its construction was a major factor in the amalgamation of the City of Strathcona and the City of Edmonton on Feb. 1, 1912.

The character-defining elements of the bridge include the truss systems, tall concrete piers, streetcar tracks on top, the bridge superstructure and substructure, the metal handrails and the black paint colour.

The High Level was designated a municipal historic resource in 1995, so in order to decommission it, city council will need to repeal that historical designation. This has only been done three times since the city’s heritage conservation program was created in 1982.

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1:48 Future of the High Level Streetcar unclear as Edmonton announces bridge replacement

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