Rodney Weston, MP for Saint John, on behalf of the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, along with the Honourable Claude Williams, New Brunswick Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, called the newly completed Saint John Harbour Bridge in New Brunswick an example of cooperation in building a stronger future.
“A safe and reliable bridge that helps connect to the region’s busiest Canada-United States border crossing will strengthen the Atlantic Gateway, providing benefits to the transportation industry and other regional businesses, which helps create jobs over the long term,” said MP Weston. “Investments like this by the Government of Canada help our economy remain strong and competitive.”
The project consisted of rehabilitating the bridge deck, installing a new median, new barrier walls, new lighting and drainage systems, and finally, paving and line-painting the bridge road. The project also included the removal of the toll booths and other toll related infrastructure, as well as a reconfiguration to the Route 1 highway lanes at the west end of the bridge. These upgrades improve safety and lengthen the lifespan of the structure. The removal of tolls speeds up both commuting time and the flow of goods and services through the city and region.
The Saint John Harbour Bridge is part of a key interprovincial and international corridor linking the region’s busiest border crossing to the United States with southern New Brunswick and the other Atlantic Canadian provinces. Situated at the mouth of the Saint John River, the bridge has approximately 27,500 vehicles crossing it daily, making the Saint John Harbour Bridge an essential commercial and commuting link in the region.
The $40-million project was jointly funded by the governments of Canada and New Brunswick.