Summer rains force lengthy shutdown in 2027 to Edmonton's iconic High Level Bridge

Heavy rains in Alberta this past summer will turn into driving headaches starting next year for Edmonton commuters.

The city has confirmed that the iconic High Level Bridge will be closed for much of 2027 to fix problems caused by last year’s rainfall.

The city says landslides and erosion on nearby river valley slopes have created problems that need to be fixed soon.

To minimize disruption, other long-term fixes on the High Level will be done at the same time and work on another bridge to downtown will be put off.

Crews will still try to allow people to walk across the High Level Bridge where possible.

The bridge is an historic, soaring steel truss city landmark, standing 15 storeys above the North Saskatchewan River, spanning the length of almost seven football fields.

Sara Nichols, with the city’s infrastructure services, says the repair is making the best of a difficult situation.

“We recognize that Edmontonians rely on our major bridges,” Nichols said Friday.

“By combining the urgent repairs with the planned rehabilitation of the High Level Bridge, we will reduce the total duration and number of closures overall.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2026.

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