An increase in traffic and the need for more maintenance means that closures of Halifax’s two suspension bridges are set to become “the new normal,” according to the organization in charge of administering the important infrastructure.
The annual report of Halifax Harbour Bridges (HHB) was published earlier this week and provided information that may not please the municipality’s commuters.
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“Because the bridges are used significantly for people to commute to and from work, we plan projects to take place evenings and weekends, when there is less traffic and, historically less congestion. ,” wrote Steve Snider, General Manager and CEO of HHB, in the report.
Upcoming maintenance includes work on the approach spans on the 64-year-old Macdonald Bridge and inspection of the main cable on the 49-year-old MacKay Bridge.
Snider was on Global News Morning on Thursday and said that the work is necessary to keep the bridges up and running.
“I know that people are going shopping and going to events and it gets frustrating,” he said.
“I just ask that you know, when they see the construction workers out there that instead of honking and shaking, they honk and give a thumbs up for keeping the bridges maintained.”
Snider said commuters are unlikely to see an increase in the price of the bridge tolls in the immediate future.
“It’s inevitable that it will happen at some point but right now we’re good,” he said.