Steel Truss Bridge Work Moves Forward

TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC WORKS--Steel Truss Bridge Work Moves Forward

Nova Scotians are going to see millions of dollars in work on steel truss bridges this year, part of an overall strategy by the Department of Transportation and Public Works to replace and repair single-lane steel bridges.

About $9 million will be spent on steel truss bridges this year, part of a five-year, $50-million program to replace about 66 structures across the province.

"Our bridges are safe and we are moving forward on a comprehensive program to repair and replace steel truss bridges across the province," said Ron Russell, Minister of Transportation and Public Works. "We are building a stronger bridge network and we intend to make sure that Nova Scotians benefit from investments in our highways and bridge network."

The province's steel truss bridges are inspected regularly and are safe for normal traffic. They were built decades ago to meet different requirements, before today's large tractor trailers were on the road.

"These bridges are not able to handle today's large trucks, and that's why engineers put height and weight restrictions on these structures," said the minister.

Overall, engineers have estimated it will cost about $150 million to repair and replace about 200 of the province's 245 steel truss bridges.

Mr. Russell said staff will continue to evaluate the success of the steel truss bridge program and use that information to build another five-year program.

"Our intention is to complete the work on our steel truss bridges in an orderly and cost-effective manner," said the minister. "We don't have the staff or dollars to repair and replace all of our bridges at once, so we are doing it in a logical and orderly manner."

Replacement decisions for steel truss bridges are made by department engineers based on condition, serviceability (i.e. traffic volumes, etc.) and operational factors.

The Department of Transportation and Public Works highways division manages more than 23,000 kilometres of roads in Nova Scotia. It maintains an inventory of 3,800 bridges and operates seven provincial ferries. Staff provide services from district offices in Bridgewater, Bedford, Truro and Sydney.