Construction to close Calgary's Mission Bridge to motorists for 6 months

The Mission Bridge located along 4 Street S.W. at the south end of the Mission District.

Calgary’s Mission Bridge will be closed to motorists for several months as city crews complete rehabilitation work.

After evening peak traffic hours on Friday, Nov. 1, the bridge, located on Fourth Street S.W., will be closed to allow crews to begin work on the vehicle traffic lanes. The closure is expected to last about six months.

Northbound and southbound detours will be available for drivers.

Alongside the “critical repair work,” city crews are also working to add multi-use pathways on each side of the bridge and upgrade lighting.

Some sidewalks on the bridge will have reduced width but will remain open to pedestrians, wheelers and cyclists.

The bridge is expected to reopen to two-way vehicle traffic in the spring, with the project finished up in late 2025.

The city is reminding commuters to allow extra time and use alternate routes or modes of transportation when possible.

A City of Calgary map shows the Mission Bridge closure and detour routes. (Courtesy: City of Calgary)

The project began in May, with work on the exterior of the structure now complete.

"We have progressed well over the summer on the repairs required to the bridge’s exterior and are ready to start work on its interior,” Max Lacroix, project manager and senior structural engineer with the city, said in a news release.

“Understandably, the closure is a challenging period for people living, working or playing in the Mission District, however, this allows us to best manage the bridge’s repairs so it can last for another 35 years until requiring any further intervention.”

The project will cost the city $17.8 million. One of Calgary’s oldest bridges, the Mission Bridge was built in 1915 and last upgraded in 1987.