The Franklin Street Bridge needs $500,000 in repairs and it's taxpayers who will be footing the bill.

The bridge was built in 2002 but started showing damage less than five years later.

The Ministry of Transportation says the geometry of the bridge is “complex” and the reason it needs to be fixed so soon is that the “standard details that usually perform well are not performing at this site.”

The expansion joint and seal on the west side of the bridge will be replaced.

The Ministry of Transportation says the bridge will need another 2 or 3 major renovations over its 20 year lifespan.

The contractor for the repairs is a different company than the one who originally built the bridge. That’s because it’s part of a larger contract that includes repairs to the Wellington and Frederick Street bridges and the widening of the Guelph Street Bridge.

Franklin Street will be closed to motorists until early September.