Clover Bar Railway Bridge gets major overhaul to handle second track through 2028

The 118-year-old Clover Bar Railway Bridge, which crosses the North Saskatchewan River parallel to the Yellowhead Trail in east Edmonton, is undergoing major rehabilitation work to accommodate a second track and convert it from a single-track to a double-track crossing.

CN, the bridge's owner and operator, has begun work that includes repairs to river piers and replacement of five bridge spans. The 504-metre bridge, built in 1908, features three large truss spans crossing the river, which will be rebuilt using two temporary cofferdams and twin 650-tonne all-terrain cranes. Two smaller land spans will be reconstructed with a single large crane. Crews will inspect and repair the concrete piers as needed, replace steel nosing plates, and add riprap around the pier bases. The river valley slope will be modified to accommodate large equipment needed for span replacement.

According to Major Projects Alberta, the work is expected to continue through 2028. The exact cost of the rehabilitation has not been disclosed.

As HighOnCity reported in May, Alberta's passenger rail master plan could reshape Edmonton's most iconic bridge, the High Level Bridge. The 113-year-old High Level Bridge is in worse condition than previously believed, according to a May report to Edmonton City Council, and rehabilitation costs are soaring. The city said rehabilitation is no longer a practical long-term solution and is looking at replacing some of the city's oldest river crossings, including the High Level and Low Level bridges.

The 126-year-old Low Level Bridge had repairs to its southbound lanes completed in 2025, with northbound rehabilitation expected to begin in 2027. The city's strategy is to keep the Low Level Bridge open to vehicle traffic and active transportation until a replacement crossing is built.