Halifax Harbour Bridges (HHB) has announced they’re significantly ramping up the re-decking of the Macdonald Bridge.
The Big Lift, which involves a complete replacement of the bridge’s deck, has been delayed due to weather issues and what HHB calls a “steep learning curve.”
But the organization says this revision to the plan should keep them right on track.
“While the time it takes to replace a deck segment has improved greatly, the overall segment replacement is lagging behind where it was planned to be at this stage,” The Big Lift project manager and chief engineer, Jon Eppell, said in a release.
The revised plan will see two deck segments replaced each weekend, putting it back on track to be finished by the fall of 2017.
Earlier in April, Global News reported the segment replacement was four months behind schedule. At that point, only seven of the 15 segments had been replaced.
The last segment of the Dartmouth-side of the Macdonald Bridge was replaced last weekend.
In addition to increasing the number of segments replaced each weekend, HHB says the new plan will allow them to:
- Finish paving 80 per cent of the suspended span by October 2016 (Dartmouth side and main span)
- Finish replacing the segments by December 2016
- Active transportation access by the end of 2016
- Finish paving the Halifax side by the summer of 2017
The bridge will continue to be closed on weekends and overnight. The bridge is open from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday.
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