After being plagued with delays, Chatham’s Third Street Bridge will fully reopen this week for the first time in more than a year.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent announced on Monday that the bridge over the Thames River will reopen to traffic and pedestrians on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
“We would like to thank the residents of Chatham-Kent for their patience and understanding throughout the project,” the municipality said in a news release.
According to municipal officials, an event to celebrate the new bridge, along with bridge sponsor TekSavvy, will be held sometime in the fall. A date for the celebration is expected to be announced in the coming months.
The Third Street Bridge has been closed since May 3, 2021, as part of a $14 million rehabilitation project.
The crossing was initially expected to partially reopen to traffic this past November, however, the project was hit with multiple labour disruptions and supply shortages. A flood in September also caused delays due to a build-up of debris in the river.