Niagara Parks sinks over $3 million into fixing historic Fort Erie bridge

There’s bad news for South Niagara Parkway drivers as the Black Creek Bridge in Fort Erie will be shut down to be completely replaced from November to April.

There’s good news for boaters, however, as the new bridge will have 18 more inches of clearance.

The bridge rehabilitation, which is costing Niagara Parks over $3 million, has become necessary as the historic structure was originally built in 1911. It was more recently rehabilitated in 1994 but even so, its shelf life is up.

Rankin Construction is tagged to undertake the bridge replacement project that aims to conserve the heritage value of the bridge while increasing the clearance height for boats and improving visibility and the overall safety of surrounding intersections.

“Niagara Parks is proud to invest in this important project to replace the Black Creek Bridge along the South Niagara Parkway,” said Niagara Parks Chair April Jeffs.

“This is a critical piece of infrastructure for Niagara Parks and the surrounding communities. Public feedback and input have been incorporated into the final design, which we feel will significantly improve conditions for drivers, pedestrians and boaters in this area.”

Preliminary investigations and assessments at the site are currently underway, which will not impact public access. Construction is set to begin November 20, which will require a road closure of the Niagara Parkway at Black Creek Bridge until construction is completed by April 26, 2024.

Temporary detours around the work site will be established for the five-month duration of the project.