‘Plan ahead:’ MacKay Bridge to close for the weekend

The MacKay Bridge in Halifax will be closed for a busy weekend.

Anyone with plans in HRM this weekend should anticipate traffic delays, as the MacKay Bridge will be closed all weekend, beginning 8.p.m. Friday night.

As the bridge undergoes maintenance, Steve Proctor, with Halifax Harbour Bridges, says people should plan ahead.

“There will be traffic in the city. The MacDonald will have lots of traffic on it…so we’re asking people to plan ahead knowing that there is going to be big traffic,” says Proctor.

He says this is the sixth time this year the MacKay Bridge has closed, four of which times has been for maintenance.

“The bridge is closing because there’s work we just can’t do at night and on weekends. It requires a much longer term. In this case, where we’re taking the cable inspection unit off the cables, and it requires cranes to come in, so there’s four or five cranes, so we can’t just close two lanes because of the safety issue,” he says.

“We’re also doing a number of other tasks. Princess Margaret Boulevard is going to be closed throughout the weekend. On Monday, the south side, because we’re taking off a garage ramp. The size of our vehicles is getting bigger and bigger, and there’s a tunnel that now won’t allow them to go through.”

The anticipated traffic disruptions has some Haligonians wondering if the city should build a third bridge.

“I think it’s going to be absolutely necessary. I’m just wondering why we’re not getting on with it sooner,” says one Halifax resident.

Proctor says this will be the last closure for the Mackay Bridge this year, and says there is a plan in place to help people get around this weekend.

“We’ve done a partnership with Halifax Transit to allow for anybody to get on the ferries free from 8 a.m. Friday until the close of business on Sunday. Our hope is that people will think about taking their trips a little bit differently. Enjoying the ferry and lessening the congestion that will be on the roads inevitably,” says Proctor.

The Mackay Bridge will reopen at 5:30 a.m. Monday.

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