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Replacement of St. Paul Street West bridge in St. Catharines is complete and opens a year ahead of schedule
December 2, 2025
Niagara Region is proud to announce that the replacement of the St. Paul Street West CNR bridge (Regional Road 81) in St. Catharines is complete and has reopened to traffic and pedestrians – a full year ahead of schedule.
The bridge, which spans the Canadian National Railway (CNR) tracks, was replaced as part of the larger GO Station Precinct project, which has combined the scope of work of four projects that Niagara Region, CNR and the City of St. Catharines are sharing. Niagara Region is leading the project because of its close relation to the St. Catharines Train Station redevelopment into a multi-model transit hub.
Built in 1922, St. Paul bridge underwent an extensive inspection, which concluded that it needed to be replaced immediately. Work, including demolition, started in 2024 followed by the bridge replacement. Highlights of the new structure include:
- Two 3.5m-wide vehicle lanes and 1.5m-wide bike lanes in both directions.
- A 2.2m-wide sidewalk on each side of the road.
- Connection from St. Paul to a one-way entrance to the GO Station via Great Western Street.
- A gradual approach to the bridge spanning the CN rail tracks.
- The new bridge references some design elements of the previous structure, such as mimicking the lattice and post design from the original bridge railings leading down toward Shickluna Street.
- Aesthetic appeals, with coloured blocks/stones and black coated railings.
The Region worked with the bridge owner, CNR, and several other partner organizations during the construction process.
Quotes
“The reopening of the St. Paul Street CN rail bridge is a major step forward for our community and for the future of the GO Station Precinct. This bridge is an important corridor that connects residents, supports local businesses and strengthens the daily life of our city. I want to thank everyone for their patience throughout the closure, especially the business owners in the area who have experienced the brunt of the economic impact. With the bridge restored, and the GO Station development continuing, we’re excited to keep moving towards a more connected, accessible and vibrant St. Catharines.”
Mat Siscoe, Mayor, City of St. Catharines
“Niagara Region is very proud of this major milestone and the work completed to provide a new and improved bridge that will not only benefit the City of St. Catharines, but the region overall. We are especially thrilled the bridge was competed a year ahead of schedule, providing exceptional infrastructure to residents. This is a great example of our valuable partnership with the City of St. Catharines and Canadian National Railway on a vital and complex project for the community. This is also a testament to the dedication, commitment and skillset of our Regional crews and contractors, who worked very hard to complete this important portion of the overall GO Station Precinct initiative.”
Frank Tassone, Director of Transportation Services, Niagara Region
“The St. Paul Street West bridge reopening marks the completion of a significant infrastructure renewal project. This critical transportation network connection for our community helped support the vision of the GO Station Precinct. Delivered in tandem with the GO station access road construction and Ridley Road reconstruction, this allowed us to coordinate construction activities, reduce costs, minimize impact to the community and maximize efficiencies across adjacent infrastructure works. Our partnership with Niagara Region and the efforts of City and Regional staff, as well as the skilled execution of the construction contract by Rankin Construction, were essential in completing this complex effort ahead of schedule.”
Anthony Martuccio, Director of Engineering, Facilities and Environmental Services, City of St. Catharines
Media contact
Jason Misner
Senior Communications Specialist
Niagara Region
905-980-6000 ext. 3250
jason.misner@niagararegion.ca
