WATCH: Halifax Harbour Bridges is preparing to enter the next phase of its Macdonald Bridge redecking project and is hoping to minimize the impact on cyclists and pedestrians. Beginning June 28 at 7 p.m., the pedestrian and bikes lanes on the bridge will be closed for 18 months. Rebecca Lau reports.
DARTMOUTH – Halifax Harbour Bridges is preparing to enter the next phase of its Macdonald Bridge redecking project and is hoping to minimize the impact on cyclists and pedestrians.
The bridge has had overnight closures for vehicles since March 1 as part of the $150 million Big Lift project.
Beginning June 28 at 7 p.m., the pedestrian and bikes lanes on the bridge will be closed for 18 months.
The Macdonald Bridge is the only harbour bridge pedestrians and cyclists can use. According to the commission’s statistics, approximately 700 pedestrians — and about the same number of cyclists — cross the span each day during the busy summer months.
In order to lessen the impact of the closure on users, Halifax Habour Bridges has purchased three shuttle buses with trailers to transport bicycles. Their plan is to operate on a load-and-go basis during the peak hours of 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The free shuttle will run every half hour during the rest of the day.
“We’ve had the drivers training for the last couple of weeks,” said the commission’s CEO and general manager Steve Snider.
“We’ve hired 17 people to operate these buses. When you’re doing three buses 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it takes a fair size crew.”
Snider estimates they will spend $1.5 million on the shuttle service, but he admits it’s not an ideal situation.
Over the next month, the sidewalks will be used as a staging platform for workers as they prepare to lift and replace the first deck segment during the weekend of August 28.
The sidewalk, which was put in during a 1999 modernization project, will eventually be removed, hoisted over the side of the bridge, and put onto tractor trailers in 16-foot length pieces.
The material will be put to use by the city, as well as local snowmobile and trail associations.
“We’re happy to see that what we built 15 years ago is going to be re-purposed and will be to the benefit of those who are using trails and pathways throughout the province,” Snider said.
WATCH ABOVE: The Big Lift explained. Credit: Halifax Habour Bridges
Avid users and cyclists have mixed feelings about the project.
While the Halifax Cycling Coalition understands the project is necessary, they’re also dismayed at how long it will take.
The closure is slated to last until December 2016.
“Cycling is becoming more and more popular right now,” said board member Eric Jonsson. “We’re getting the new bike lane on Hollis Street and the University Avenue protected bike lane. We’re getting a bunch of small steps forward and now we’re taking this very large step back with the closing of the bike lanes on the bridge.”
Jonsson also believes some cyclists will opt to drive instead of taking the free shuttle for scheduling reasons. He wonders how many of those cyclists will return to cycling after the project is complete.
“I hope it doesn’t have a lasting impact on the cycling traffic across the bridge, but I think it might.”
The Big Lift project is set to be complete in the fall of 2017.
It’s only the second suspension bridge in the world to have its spans replaced while continuing to allow traffic to flow through the day.
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