It’s going to look a bit different using the MacKay Bridge, Monday morning, after another big step in the process to remove the tolls is complete.
Stephen Proctor from Halifax Harbour Bridges tells our newsroom, after the weekend, there will be two straight lanes on either side of a barrier, not curved like they are now.
“Our expectation is, come Monday, drivers will see it like driving along a section of the Highway 101 or 102. There won’t be any of the dipsy doodles that we have currently to accommodate,” says Proctor.
As crews do the work, the MacKay will be closed all weekend from Friday night to early Monday morning.
However, Proctor says, he thinks everyone will be pleased.
“But again, we’ll have to wait and see how the weekend goes,” adds Proctor.
Construction continues
Work to completely remove the tolls will continue for another month and a half.
“It will still be a construction zone for another six weeks to work on the outside lanes,” says Proctor.
Those, he adds, will be landscaped.
Speed limits will also stay at 50 km/h for the time being but will go up to 70 km/h once the area is no longer deemed a construction zone.
In addition to all of this, new connections will be created to Princess Maragaret Boulevard.
“That’s why the on and off ramps are closed for at least six weeks,” says Proctor.
Quite an accomplishment
Removing the tolls on both bridges was an election promise from Premier Tim Houston.
The process to take them down at the MacKay is taking a little longer than anticipated and still needs more time, but Proctor says it is an amazing accomplishment to have it all done within six months.
“It’s been a very short period of time. The whole plan just started in November,” says Proctor.
He adds, considering the process to take the tolls down started in March, it is a big project to have done this early in the construction season.
“I’ll be happy when it’s all complete and I assume that drivers will be equally happy to see the construction out of the way. They should have a seamless driving experience by Monday morning,” says Proctor.
