Two bridges in Port Hawkesbury will be closed on Thursday and will remain closed for some time.
At last night’s public meeting of Port Hawkesbury Town Council, Public Works Director Jason MacMillan gave a presentation on the two-lane bridge and timber bridge both at the intersection of Reeves and Granville Streets.
On Oct. 3, the town held an emergency meeting after a recent inspection by bridge engineers noted “significant deterioration,” since a 2023 inspection, the town said in a public notice issued last week.
CAO Terry Doyle said “rot and distortion” were found on the pile cap which is a large timber beam that sits on top of large timber piles and carries the load of the bridge. He said the bridges date back to the 1960s.
Although he was unable to remember exactly when, the CAO said work did take place recently on the timber bridge.
MacMillan said the town is working on a closure plan for the bridges and is procuring equipment and materials, signage, barricades, and fencing for pedestrian safety.
In response to a question from Deputy Mayor Iaian Langley about the need to re-route traffic, which will put pressure on other streets, and another question from Town Councillor Todd Barrett about the need for a barricade around Prince Street, MacMillan said all stakeholders have been involved in planning the closure. He said the Port Hawkesbury Volunteer Fire Department, EHS and the RCMP have been consulted, adding that he expects there will be a greater police presence in the area.
The public works director noted that barricades will be erected on Reeves Street, Granville Street, and the intersection of Granville and Prince Streets. He said traffic will be diverted to nearby streets.
After a question from Town Councillor Paula Hart about concerns with traffic flow around MacLaughlin Drive, MacMillan promised to look into that issue.
Another point raised by Langley was large capital cost to repair the bridge, with Doyle agreeing that work to the two-lane bridge would cost around $5 million, which would be difficult to finance.
The deputy mayor also noted that the timber bridge is owned by Nova Scotia Public Works, and Doyle responded that the town has been in communication with the regional manager who has been extremely helpful.
After Town Councillor Blaine MacQuarrie pointed to the “enormous cost” of the repairs, the CAO replied that there are no programs in place for bridge repairs or replacement but town staff will continue lobbying and plan to reach out to Inverness MLA Kyle MacQuarrie.
After the meeting, Doyle said the bridges will be closed “for a significant amount of time,” while issues with the bridge are investigated, adding that it will continue into the winter.