West Montrose Covered Bridge

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The West Montrose Covered Bridge and Letson Park is closed to all users for construction until December 2026.

Overview

Project number: 07626 | Updated: December 2025

The Region of Waterloo is rehabilitating the West Montrose Covered Bridge in Woolwich. An environmental assessment was completed in 2024 that used long-term monitoring and evaluation, public engagement and technical review to determine a recommended design concept. The assessment included heritage, structural, social, environmental and cost factors to determine the recommended design.

The project team is now using the feedback and information gathered to create a detailed design of the bridge rehabilitation in preparation for construction this spring.

Schedule

Environmental assessment: 2021–2024
Design and planning: 2024
Construction: August 2025–December 2026

Note: timing may be affected by weather conditions; updates will be posted as needed.

Budget

$12 million

Contact

Michelle Pinto, P.Eng.
Project Manager, Region of Waterloo
mipinto@regionofwaterloo.ca

Service First Contact Centre: 519-575-4400

Text 57555 with the code WMCB to get the latest updates on the project right to your phone.

Getting around during construction

The bridge will be closed starting on August 20, 2025 and is expected to be complete by the end of December 2026.

The bridge will be closed to all road users for the duration of the work. Letson Park will be used as a staging area and will also be closed for the duration of the work. Two-way traffic will be maintained on Rivers Edge Drive and Covered Bridge Drive.

Line 86 can be used as an alternate route during construction.

Project updates

March 12, 2026

Work on the West Montrose Covered Bridge is temporarily paused this week due to flood warnings in West Montrose. Crews will return to the site next week once river levels have gone down.

West Montrose Covered Bridge

February 20, 2026

Crews are currently working on removing the concrete at the bridge supports to prepare for the upcoming installation of the temporary support structure for the bridge. This will allow the bridge to be temporarily supported while crews work on repairing the main load carrying components of the structure.

Removing concrete at the West Montrose Covered Bridge

December 19, 2025

Crews have started removing some elements inside the bridge to get it ready for a temporary support system. These supports are needed so workers can safely repair the main structural parts of the bridge while keeping the historic structure protected.

The site will be closed for two weeks over the Christmas holidays. Work will start up again in January, when crews will prepare the area for pre-made support pieces and bracing. These will temporarily hold up the bridge while the major repair work continues.

Inside the West Montrose Covered Bridge during construction

November 5, 2025

The in-water work on the bridge is now finished. Rocks were placed around the base of the bridge pier and abutments to protect them from scour, which happens when fast-moving or high water washes away sand, gravel, or soil around the bridge foundations. This rock protection helps prevent erosion and keeps the bridge stable. The masonry at the base of the pier was also repaired below the waterline.

Next, crews will repair the concrete on the pier and abutments and continue fixing the masonry higher up on the pier above the water. This work is an important step in preserving the historic bridge and ensuring it remains safe and structurally sound for many years to come.

Working on the bridge pier

Public engagement

The public was engaged on this project throughout the environmental assessment process between 2021 to 2024. For details on that engagement, visit the EngageWR project page.

EngageWR — Get involved