By Ed Doering
The Roblin Review
Hugh Skinner thinks it may be time for area residents to make more noise about the closure of the bridge over the Shell River on PTH #83.
The bridge was closed indefinitely back in June after flood waters undermined its supports and raised concerns about its structural integrity.
“I sent a letter (dated July 27) to the minister and I haven’t gotten nothing back,” he said in an interview Aug. 14. “Maybe we, as a community, should be making more noise.”
Skinner lives just five miles north of the bridge and if he follows the official detour route down the Boundary Road it adds almost 50 miles (80 kms) to any trip he has to make to destinations south. And that includes Inglis and Russell.
He said he’s talked to various people with regard to the bridge closure and the speculation is that permanent repairs will take one to three years.
“The heavy traffic on PR.482, the detour, is causing significant damage to that road which will only get worse as movement of grain ramps up with harvest,” he said in his letter to transportation and infrastructure minister (MTI) Lisa Naylor.
“I feel, along with my neighbors, that it’s unacceptable that this important route for the people of western Manitoba should remain closed for that length of time.”

Read more on page 2 of this week's Russell Banner.