The City of Moose Jaw now has a plan moving forward with repairs for the Seventh Avenue Southwest bridge. 

During a special council meeting Monday night, it was voted unanimously that the bridge deck will be lifted and steel piles and pile caps will be installed. The bridge had been closed to vehicular traffic, and most recently pedestrian traffic, due to damage from an ice jam in 2015. 

The project is expected to cost about $740,000 plus approximately $92,000 for engineering and design costs. 

The second option that was presented to city council, and ultimately rejected, was to partially demolish the bridge to make it one lane at a cost of $466,000. 

Mayor Frasor Tolmie addressed the price tag. 

"You've got to think about the costs behind safety and you can't put a cost on it, so you have to think about the residents out there,” Tolmie said. 

The project will be paid for by funding provided to the general capital fund from the land development fund. 

ecause fire trucks can’t get across the bridge, it will at least allow ambulances to access the area. 

“You listen to the stats. If somebody had a heart attack or a stroke, they have to have medical help within seven minutes. If they have to open and close gates I don't know if they would ever make it,” Blanc said.