Bridges and Culverts
The County maintains a diverse transportation network to provide safe and effective means to keep our communities moving and connected. This network includes bridges and structural culverts which help provide continuous efficient movement of traffic.
Bridges and structural culverts are categorized into three components, based on differing life spans and maintenance strategies; bridges (including pedestrian bridges), structural culverts with a span of 3 meters or greater, and guide rails related to the structure approaches that protect road users from underlying and/or roadside hazards.
Inventory
| Asset Component | Unit | Current Inventory | Replacement Cost |
| Bridges | each | 95 | $263,662,657 |
| Structural Culverts | each | 69 | 92,738,379 |
| Guide Rails | m | 21,386 | 9,567,901 |
| Total Replacement Cost | $365,968,937 | ||
Due to the varying structure types and material, the replacement costs are not easily defined as a value per square meter of bridge/culvert deck area. Replacement costs were provided within the 2022 Bridge Needs Study. The replacement cost valuation for guide rails is based on current tender prices, where available.
While the County has realized cost savings in early 2024 procurements, a Bridge Needs Study is being completed in 2024 that will provide updated replacement costs for all structures based on current economic information, with updated replacement costs reflected in the County’s 2025 Asset Management Plan. As lifecycle activities are being completed, some structures may be expanded to accommodate active transportation solutions. While this would increase the overall replacement cost of the structure, replacement costs have not been increased at this time, as staff anticipate recent procurement savings will offset the additional costs.
Condition
The condition assessment approach utilizes a combination of physical assessments, asset attributes, such as material and sizing, and established anticipated useful lives.
The MTO has established a goal of maintaining 85% of their structures in good condition, with a BCI greater than 70. Of the County’s 164 structures, 72 (44%) have a projected BCI at 70 or greater as of December 31, 2023. Another 26 structures (15.9%) have a projected BCI between 68 and 70. The County will be establishing it’s goal as part of the proposed levels of service requirements for the 2025 AMP.
Key Performance
| Key Service Attribute | LOS Statement | Performance Measure | 2022 | 2023 | Target |
| Safety | Providing safe bridges and culverts for users | % of bridges in the municipality with loading or dimensional restrictions. | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Quality | Providing a bridge and culvert network at the appropriate material quality | For bridges in the municipality, the average bridge condition index value | 70.96 | 70.36 | TBD |
| For culverts >3m in the municipality, the average bridge condition index value | 72.52 | 70.80 | TBD |
Funding Gap Analysis
This portfolio is currently funded through an annual levy contribution to the Bridges and Structural Culverts reserve, the use of Ontario Community Infrastructure Funding (OCIF), an annual allocation of interest earned, along with an allocation resulting from the consolidated County operating surplus.
The graph illustrates the anticipated asset management 10-year lifecycle needs (expenditures) and anticipated funding for the 10-year period of 2024-2033, reflecting an approximate $14.3 million deficit in funding availability over the period.
Staff will work with the consultant completing the 2024 Bridge Needs Study to ensure replacement costs provided reflect current economic conditions, and where practical, are also reflective of the procurement savings realized in early 2024 structure lifecycle procurements. It has also been noted that the County’s structures appear to be declining at a slower pace than the deterioration curve would suggest; staff feel some of the projected lifecycle needs will be pushed to the 2034-2044 period at low risk to the County.
Through the 2025 business plan and budget process, staff will determine if the contribution into the reserve from the levy should increase by the amount of inflation or remain at the current level.