N.B. government spending $1.5M on new bridge between Île-de-Lamèque and Shippagan

The bridge between Île-de-Lamèque and Shippagan in New Brunswick. (Source: Google Maps)

The New Brunswick government is spending $1.5 million in the next fiscal year for the planning and design work of a new bridge between Île-de-Lamèque and Shippagan.

The government says the current bridge has been in use since 1959 and is nearing the end of its life. It is the only bridge in New Brunswick with a lift span, according to a news release from the province.

“This investment will fund an environmental impact assessment, required permits, stakeholder consultation and technical design,” the release reads. “It is expected that pre-design work will be completed this spring.”

The government says it will also spend $1.5 million on rehabilitation work of the existing bridge. Construction of the replacement bridge isn’t expected to start until 2028.

“This project, long awaited by the community and the entire Acadian Peninsula, meets a real and priority need,” said Shippagan Mayor Kassim Doumbia. “This announcement marks a crucial step and paves the way for the construction of a new bridge linking Shippagan to Lamèque Island, the only land link uniting the same people at the heart of two communities.”

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