The Princess Margaret Bridge in Fredericton Opens

(as posted by Communicaitons NB, Nov 10/11)

The Princess Margaret Bridge in Fredericton is now open to traffic.

The bridge, which has been undergoing a $77.4 million-rehabilitation for the past two years, was closed to traffic last May. This allowed extensive work to be done that included replacement of the deck, refurbishment of the piers, steel repairs, completion of bearing replacement and painting.

"I greatly appreciate the patience of the travelling public and the co-operation that we have had from the City of Fredericton," said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Claude Williams. "Now that the water proofing and paving has been completed, we can safely re-open the bridge to traffic, while SNC Lavalin continues working on other areas of the bridge that will not disrupt the traffic flow."

Williams added that the bridge is an important part of infrastructure in the area.

“The refurbishment of this bridge will allow the people of Fredericton and the surrounding area to enjoy a safe structure for the next 50 years,” he said.

The Princess Margaret Bridge originally opened in 1959. The bridge was restricted to a maximum vehicle weight of 43,500 kg in November 2008. With the rehabilitation, the maximum vehicle weight is re-established as 62,500 kg.