SAINT JOHN (GNB) – A ceremony today marked the completion of the Saint John Harbour Bridge project.

“The Saint John Harbour Bridge serves as a major transportation link for the province and the port city,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Claude Williams. “The repair of this important strategic infrastructure will support and promote economic growth and development in the port city for many years to come, while also providing an upgraded bridge for the public. It is another example of how we are working together with our partners to rebuild New Brunswick with a stronger economy and a stronger future.”

The project consisted of repairing the bridge deck, installing a new median and new barrier walls, new and upgraded signing, lighting and drainage systems, and the paving and line-painting of the bridge. It also included the removal of the toll booths and other toll-related infrastructure, as well as a reconfiguration to the Route 1 highway lanes at the west end of the bridge. These upgrades improved safety and lengthened the lifespan of the structure.

“A safe and reliable bridge that helps connect to the region's busiest Canada-United States border crossing will strengthen the Atlantic Gateway, providing benefits to the transportation industry and other regional businesses, which helps create jobs over the long-term,” said Saint John MP Rodney Weston. “Investments like this by the Government of Canada help our economy remain strong and competitive.”

Weston attended the ceremony for federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt.

The Saint John Harbour Bridge is part of an interprovincial and international corridor linking the region's busiest border crossing to the United States with southern New Brunswick and the other Atlantic provinces. Situated at the mouth of the Saint John River, the bridge has about 27,500 vehicles crossing it daily.  

The $40-million project was jointly funded with the provincial government providing $22.5 million and the federal government contributing $17.5 million from its Gateways and Border Crossings Fund.

The Saint John Harbour Bridge is a component of Atlantic Canada's efforts to become a preferred gateway and trade corridor for goods and people coming into and leaving North America.

Canada's Atlantic Gateway and Trade Corridor is the shortest all-water route between North America's East Coast and markets in Europe and Asia, via the Suez Canal. Double-stack rail service provides a direct link to Chicago in 72 hours, and a two-hour fly zone connects the Atlantic Gateway to Montreal, Toronto, Boston and New York.

More information on Canada's Atlantic Gateway can be found online.


29-11-13