Community Learns About Design for New Indian Sluice Bridge

NOTE: To see the design of the bridge go http://gov.ns.ca/news/Photos/2012/feb/Indian-Sluice-Bridge-Consultation.jpg .

A modern two-lane concrete structure will replace the single-lane Indian Sluice Bridge, also known as Surette's Island Bridge, on Route 308 in Yarmouth County.

Staff from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal announced the plans to the Indian Sluice Bridge Replacement Committee on Monday, Feb. 20.

"I'm pleased to see this project move forward so that the communities of Surette's Island and Morris Island will have a new and modern structure to serve them well for the next 100 years," said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Bill Estabrooks.

"The community has been involved in this project from the start. Their input has been very important in helping to select the best bridge design to meet their needs."

Replacing the 100-year-old, single-lane truss bridge is part of the province's 5-Year Highway Improvement Plan. The existing bridge will be kept in service while the new bridge is being built alongside it.

"The committee members were very pleased with the presentation as it was thorough and very informative," said Earl Muise, chair of the Indian Sluice Bridge Replacement Committee. "We know that the community will be very pleased with the department's decision on the design and anxiously await the construction phase."

Construction is expected to begin this fall. The bridge is expected to open in 2013, one year earlier than the original plan. The estimated cost for the project is $14.5 million.

The province's 5-year Highway Improvement Plan supports the goals of government's jobsHere economic development plan. It creates jobs and improves the highway infrastructure relied on by Nova Scotia businesses and industries. The plan is available at www.gov.ns.ca/tran .