Alexandra Bridge reopens after lengthy repairs to the relief of drivers and businesses

The Alexandra Bridge has reopened to vehicle traffic 17 months after it was closed for repairs. CTV’s Kimbereley Fowler reports.

After nearly a year and a half, the Alexandra Bridge officially reopened Tuesday afternoon, a day earlier than expected.

“I am happy, very very happy,” said a cab driver who just drove across the bridge from Gatineau to Ottawa.

“I drive (my customers) to go straight here. I don’t need to go to the MacDonald Cartier. It’s a very nice bridge.”

The Alexandra Bridge was closed to vehicle traffic in October 2023 for repairs and rehabilitation. It was supposed to open last fall, but the closure was extended for maintenance crews to finish the work.

Drivers are not the only ones excited.

The Silver Fox Barbershop has been on the corner of Murray Street and Sussex Drive since 2020. It has faced disruptions from the pandemic, the Freedom Convoy and most recently, the bridge closure.

“We’ve been really missing that vehicle traffic,” said Devon Caskenette, a barber at the Silver Fox.

“When (the bridge) used to be open, we had a lot more clientele coming in from Gatineau on a more regular basis that we’ve seen less frequently since the closures because the detours are just too inconvenient.”

The National Capital Commission (NCC) and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) have said the maintenance was required to allow the 120-year-old bridge to stay open until it’s dismantled in the next few years and then completely replaced with the goal of reopening in 2032.

Last month, the NCC and PSPC unveiled the chosen design for the new interprovincial bridge, called “Motion.” The concept is inspired by nature and the eel that is one of the native species of the Ottawa River.

Advocates against demolishing the bridge were hoping it would remain a pedestrian-only crossing.

“The bridge has never been that important as a commuter route,” said David Jeanes with Transport Action Canada.

“Those of us in the Alexander Bridge Coalition have always been pushing for it to remain, get repaired, and converted to an active transportation only bridge. Take the cars, trucks, and buses off it all together. We still feel that that would be the best solution.”

Josiah Frith from the Lowertown Community Association added, “It’s a big deal for us, we’re really happy to see the bridge for as many years as we can have it.”

“Maybe people will now see really who uses it and who doesn’t, because I think there has been a lot of talk lately about how valuable it is as a as a vehicular crossing. We certainly would love to see it just shut and turned into a pedestrian park.”

The Alexandra Bridge was built in 1901 and is one of five interprovincial bridges connecting Ottawa and Gatineau.