Toronto can't figure out how to fix the stuck Cherry Street bridge
Nearly one week after we first reported that the Cherry Street lift bridge had inexplicably gone out of service, ticking off drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike, Ports Toronto has confirmed that the structure is "locked in a lifted position due to a mechanical/electrical failure."
As for when the bridge will go down and restore access to one of only a few entrances into the Port Lands... well, nobody knows.
Ports Toronto says that the bridge between Lake Shore Boulevard and Cherry Street got stuck in its upright position over the Keating Channel on August 1.
Traffic in the area is still being rerouted a full week later and the TTC's 121 Fort York-Esplanade continues to detouring on account of the bridge's position.
#TTC bus detour via Don Roadway because Cherry St lift bridge still stuck in upright position... pic.twitter.com/mq0fAn2MBf
— Rudy Limeback (@rudydotca) August 8, 2019
Cyclists, meanwhile are being forced off the new, freshly-completed section of Toronto's Martin Goodman Trail that opened to much excitement on the same day as the bridge's mechanical failure.
The infrastructure gods are cruel: the Cherry Street bridge broke literally a day after the City celebrated the opening of “missing link” piece of the Martin Goodman Trail. pic.twitter.com/iZCX5yHd9y
— Matt Elliott (@GraphicMatt) August 8, 2019
Signs are now in place, making things a bit less confusing than they were last weekend, but those who frequent Cherry Beach or anywhere else in the Port Lands are growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of access.
It is logistically insane to have this Cherry Street Keating Bridge go down during this busy as fuck Caribana/Cabana/VELD Long Weekend.
— Jordan Roca (@JRoc23) August 3, 2019
Traffic is bananas, & a detour just to physically walk is a half hour to get around the water pic.twitter.com/4tIZa4CPf7
A spokesperson for the City of Toronto, which owns the Cherry Street lift bridge, told The Star this week that officials hope to get it working again "as soon as possible" — though no concrete timelines are yet in place.
"The City of Toronto and PortsToronto are working collaboratively to develop a plan to safely lower the bridge, which includes engaging engineers who specialize in bascule lift bridges of this nature," said Ports Toronto, which is contracted by the city to raise and lower the bridge, in a statement published Wednesday.
"Once the bridge is safely lowered, repair work will begin," the statement continues. "Re-establishing road connectivity to the port lands is a top priority and teams are working to resolve this situation as soon as possible."
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