Tashi Farmilo
Published online February 25, 2026, at www.pontiacjournal.com.
MANSFIELD – The Félix-Gabriel-Marchand Bridge has reopened to vehicle traffic for a second time after a collision earlier this month forced another temporary closure, municipal officials say.
The heritage bridge had recently reopened following scheduled repair work when, in early February, a car towing a trailer loaded with furniture entered the covered structure without clearing the two-metre height restriction. The trailer struck the overhead security bar, pulling it down and causing new damage to the recently repaired bridge.
Mayor Sandra Armstrong said the impact displaced the bar and required the bridge to be closed again as a precaution.
“The security bar slid to the side at the front of the bridge,” Armstrong said. “We needed to keep the bridge closed until it was checked and reinstalled.”
She said Quebec’s Transport Ministry sent an engineer the next day to assess the structure and confirm it remained stable. “They came really fast. The service was good,” Armstrong said.
The height-restriction bar was reinstalled around 11 am on Feb. 17, allowing the bridge to reopen shortly afterward.
“It’s fully open now to the public and everything is safe,” Armstrong said. “There are a few pieces of wood that are cracked and broken that will be fixed as soon as possible, but it’s very secure to pass on.”
The municipality thanked residents for their patience during both closures and urged motorists to respect the posted height limit and drive carefully through the area.
Photo – The Félix-Gabriel-Marchand Bridge has reopened after an accident forced its closure earlier this month. (WD)
