The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure says it hopes to have a key transportation link in St. George repaired by the end of January.
A truck struck the bridge on Brunswick Street in October, forcing the DTI to close the bridge to traffic due to significant damage to the bridge’s trusses.
Eastern Charlotte Mayor John Craig said the bridge closure had impacted the community, with a lengthy detour to cross the Magaguadavic River.
The bridge is under the provincial government, so the municipality has no authority over the timeline of repairs.
“Engineers have to stamp it and say okay it’s safe to go across,” Craig said in an interview. “They got a plan, they got the products coming to fix it.”
Craig wrote a letter to the province on behalf of the council explaining the urgency surrounding the bridge repairs, especially for the fire department.
“When (the department) gets a call on the other side of town or even go to St. Andrews to help they have to backtrack, go back onto the highway and go right around St. George on the highway, and then come back in, so that adds an extra 10 minutes,” Craig said.
The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said work is underway.
“Repair work recently began and requires the replacement and straightening of the damaged sections,” said DTI spokesperson Jason Hoyt.
