Starting today, motorists who use Hog’s Back Road over the Rideau Canal will need to find a new route.

The National Capital Commission says the Hog’s Back Road swing bridge is closed to vehicle traffic for the next 10 months due to construction. The bridge, built in 1976, carries between 18,000 and 26,000 vehicles a day.

The 10-month rehabilitation project will see the replacement of steel grating with a closed deck system, replacement of the rail system on the bridge and approaches and a complete structural steel re-coating. The electronical/bridge control components and mechanical components will also be replaced.

Hog’s Back Road swing bridge will remain closed until May 2020.

The NCC says a traffic detour will be set up along Riverside Drive, Heron Road bridge and Prince of Wales Drive.  Pedestrian and cyclist traffic will be maintained during construction.