Halifax drivers can anticipate some bridge closures arising this month, as work begins to take away toll plazas on the Macdonald and MacKay spans.
As part of its 2025 budget, Nova Scotia introduced will probably be eliminating tolls on the 2 bridges over Halifax Harbour as of April 1.
Tolls on each bridges vary from $1 for these with passes to $1.25 for drivers who pay money on the toll plazas.
Halifax Harbour Bridges (HHB) plans to start demolition of the Macdonald Bridge toll plaza on the weekend of March 14. The work would require the bridge to be closed that weekend, and sure the weekend after.
“The rationale it’s taking two weekends is one, we’ve got to take away every thing above the asphalt,” mentioned Tony Wright, CEO of Halifax Harbour Bridges, on World Information Morning.
“And possibly most individuals don’t know this, however there’s a whole lot of gear within the floor and there’s a utilities tunnel there. So weekend two is about coping with that after which realigning the roadway.”
He mentioned it’s important for drivers to be affected person and attentive, as a result of will probably be a “development web site for quite a lot of weeks.”
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Wright defined the main focus will probably be on the Macdonald Bridge first, after which they’ll flip their consideration to the MacKay Bridge.
Wright mentioned the MacKay closure will intently comply with the Macdonald closures.
“We’ll be doing the identical factor. Principally tearing down the superstructures, coping with some roadway realignment work after which opening it up a few weeks later.”
There are about 230,000 MacPass accounts. HHB advises folks to log in to their accounts on-line to verify their bank card info is up to date to allow them to work on refunding accounts on unused funds finally.
Income supply and future plans
Premier Tim Houston made it an election marketing campaign promise to get rid of the tolls, saying it could relieve congestion for drivers.
Wright mentioned he believes the change will make an affect.
“My workplace appears over the toll plazas on the bridge, and from the quantity of horn blaring and tire screeching we hear within the toll plazas, yeah, it’s evident that it’s a really complicated atmosphere for drivers,” he mentioned.
“So eliminating that can make a giant distinction.”
It’s estimated 110,000 automobiles cross the 2 bridges day by day, and tolls generate about $40 million annually.
For HHB, funding for upkeep and operation will look completely different transferring ahead.
“For the final 70 years or so, we’ve been reliant on our toll assortment as a income supply to fund all our upkeep and operations. Come April 1st, that’s going to vary,” mentioned Wright.
“We’ll must work intently with the province on figuring out the assets to do the work. That’s essential, as a result of one factor that received’t change is the quantity of labor that has to occur to maintain these bridges operational.”
As for the long run course of the MacKay, Wright mentioned it’s “now past its design service life” and would require work or alternative.
A report is coming within the subsequent few months on whether or not it may be mounted with a ‘big lift’ type project, which the Macdonald underwent just a few years in the past.
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