A long-standing bridge has been officially put out of commission.
The original Spences Bridge spanning the Thompson River was permanently closed on Jan. 1.
Demolition of the bridge is expected to start by the end of 2014
The 82-year-old bridge was deemed to be in poor condition overall after a recent inspection by engineers found important structural components that were at the end of their operational life span.
Jurgen Lutter, Nicola area bridge manager for the Ministry of Transportation, told the Herald the bridge’s steel beams are corroded and the steel under the concrete deck is rusted.
Lutter said the bridge could collapse without the stress of traffic given the right wind conditions and enough accumulated snowfall, estimating about one foot of snow could cause problems.
“If we get a foot of heavy snow it could do it, a foot of light snow probably won’t do anything,” Jurgen said, noting heavy snow isn’t very common in the Spences Bridge area anymore.
Engineers inspected the bridge  last December and found it unfit to be used past the end of 2013, he said.
Kathy Cloutier, communications officer with the Ministry of Transportation stated via email the ministry is working on a plan to remove the old Spences Bridge safely, and that the structure must be removed for safety and environmental reasons.
The removal of the bridge is expected to occur later this year subject to the ministry receiving environmental approvals for working above the river.
Lutter said some environmental concerns include the possibility of disturbing fish habitat or spawning and debris falling into the river, which is why demolition is scheduled for a time when the river level is low.
The bridge is expected to be taken down by early 2015.
Cloutier  stated the ministry will be consulting local residents about possible improvements to travel on the new Spences Bridge for cyclists, motorists and pedestrians.
The new Spences Bridge, which connects the town of Spences Bridge to the Trans-Canada Highway was built back in the 1960s and renovated back in 2005. That bridge crosses the Thompson River just 900 metres from the original bridge.
The original Spences Bridge was closed to vehicle traffic back in 2009 and reopened at a load restriction of 5,000 kilograms, which was lowered from a previous restriction of 25,000 kilograms, Lutter said.
Now it is closed to all forms of traffic.