Sheet Harbour Residents Celebrate New East River Bridge

Residents of Sheet Harbour, Halifax Regional Municipality, will walk across the new East River Bridge today, Dec. 17, to celebrate its completion. The bridge will be open to vehicles on Friday, Dec 18.

"The new East River Bridge will help make the community stronger and safer," said Geoff MacLellan, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. "The bridge is important infrastructure for our residents, visitors, businesses and industries."

The bridge is two metres wider than the existing one. The wider shoulder for cyclists and the wider, lighted sidewalk for pedestrians, will be safer and encourages active transportation.

"It will be sad to see the old bridge with its engineering ties to the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge in Halifax disappear but the new bridge, for safety considerations, is a much needed successor," said Susan Boutilier, member of the Sheet Harbour and Area Chamber of Commerce.

"The community will be honouring both as we walk across the old one to say goodbye, and then the new one to say welcome."

The total cost of the bridge is $19 million. The province contributed $11.8 million. The federal government invested $7.2 million through the Major Infrastructure Component of the Build Canada Fund.

"The local economy benefitted from the construction of the bridge as businesses such as the local quarry and the concrete plant provided materials for it," said Mr. MacLellan. "The new bridge will last almost into the next century."