Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds

By Michael Reeve

Merritt Flood Recovery

‘The catalyst of the start of the full rebuild’; Merritt receives provincial funding to replace destroyed bridge

Jun 26, 2023 | 4:03 PM

MERRITT, B.C. — A key link in the city of Merritt will soon be reconnected. After the Middlesboro Bridge was wiped out in the November 2021 floods, Minister Bowinn Ma was in Merritt Monday morning (June 26) for a long-awaited funding announcement.

“We know that the work that the City of Merritt has been doing is so incredibly important to the long-term viability of the community. We have been working with them since the beginning and we had already made progress on a number of projects, but the City of Merritt had identified this as one of their priorities,” said Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate readiness.

The provincial government has committed more than $10-million to rebuild the bridge, the exact figure will not be known until procurement is completed.

Mayor Mike Goetz repeatedly referred to the missing bridge as one of the last remaining visible scars from the traumatic floods.

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“This really is the catalyst of the start of the full rebuild. Once this goes through and we get the bridge stabilized, then we can start talking about the dikes. This has to happen before the dike repair can even start,” said Goetz. “There is several levels of government involved in it and that is why I say it’s a long journey. But, very happy to see it. This brings back the ability for economic development.”

With the bridge now in the works, the City of Merritt is turning it’s attention to dike work, which works hand-in-hand with bridge design.

“The dikes and the bridge are actually one thing,” stated Goetz. “One has to happen before the other can happen. This bank we are standing on needs to be stabilized before this bridge can go through, that comes through diking situation. It’s number one on the list, but the bridge and the diking are virtually the same thing.”

City staff are also patiently waiting for the calendar to flip to July, when the federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Funding (DMAF) stream opens. The funding will be utilized throughout the community including for purchasing properties along the river for new dike work.

“The DMAF applications and (Disaster Financial Assistance) applications are our next main thrust. If you want to heal this community completely and give everybody peace of mind, it’s get these dikes repaired and get the 37 families that are waiting for a buyout on with their lives. It’s been 18 months. They need to move on with their lives,” said Goetz.

The new bridge, once completed, will be designed to withstand a 1-in-200-year flood event, far above levels seen in November of 2021.

“The original bridge was built to withstand approximately somewhere around 150 cubic metres worth of water. In November, the bridge was hit by 320 cubic metres and the new bridge will be built to withstand 490 cubic metres of water,” said Minister Ma.

Construction is set to begin in spring of 2024 with completion set for early 2025.