Nipigon Bridge partially reopened to traffic

To go anywhere in Canada, you just follow the only road... or not.

A section of the Trans-Canada Highway through Northern Ontario has partially reopened Monday morning after a bridge failure.

The newly constructed Nipigon River Bridge had been shut down on Sunday after it heaved as much as 60cm away from the embankment.

Engineers are investigating it as a mechanical failure.

Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca said the Province "will do everything they can do to restore the bridge quickly, while also making sure that the safety of the travelling public remains of paramount importance."

The Trans-Canada highway serves as a vital route to western Canada, and is the only road connecting the communities of Nipigon and Thunder Bay.

"It's not just us. It's all of Canada that has a problem right now," Nipigon mayor Richard Harvey told media.

Crews were able to open a single lane to traffic Monday morning, but say it may be days before everything returns to normal.

The cause of the failure is still under investigation, but locals are blaming strong winds and cold weather.

The Nipigon River Bridge is currently involved in a $106 million project to widen the road to four lanes. The portion of the bridge that failed had only just opened in November.

Source: CBC
Photo by @SayethShawna, via Twitter