New Bridge Coming to Cape Breton Regional Municipality

TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC WORKS--New Bridge Coming to Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Visitors and residents of a scenic trail in Cape Breton Regional Municipality will soon be travelling over a new bridge.

A tender has been called to replace the John Joe Gillis Bridge on Route 216. The route connects the communities of East Bay and Eskasoni and is a popular tourist route around Bras d'Or Lake.

"The bridge improvement will benefit tourists and residents of East Bay and Eskasoni," said Ron Russell, Minister of Transportation and Public Works. "Investments in our bridges in Cape Breton and in other areas of the province continues to be a priority."

The bridge is being replaced because of regular wear and tear. The new bridge will be in the same location. The tender closes Thursday, July 29.

Overall, the department will spend $34.5 million on its bridges this year.

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 4,100 bridges and operates seven provincial ferries. Staff provide services from district offices in Bridgewater, Bedford, Truro and Sydney.

Government spent $88.5 million on major road and bridge construction projects in Cape Breton over the last five years. Cape Breton's share of the provincial capital highway expenditures increased by more than five per cent during the same time period.