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Thursday, April 1, 2010

Harbour Bridge Gets 11th Hour Reprieve On Repairs












              (Harbour Bridge)
                  (File Photo)


The Provincial cabinet is taking action to get the money needed for repairs to be made to the Harbour Bridge by approving a 35 million dollar loan guarantee.

Harbour Bridge Authority General Manager Ken Anthony tells CHSJ News, that means there shouldn't be any need for lane closures or weight reductions.

He concedes it will be tight in order to get the work done during this construction season but believes it should happen with work starting in the eastbound lanes in late May or early June.

Anthony acknowledged it hasn't been fun with all the wrangling that has gone on but this is what the Harbour Bridge Authority wanted to happen all along.

The long term solution is still seen as a joint funding agreement between the federal and provincial governments.

Premier Shawn Graham has said the province is willing to take the bridge over but certain conditions would have to be met by the federal government.

Saint John M-P Rodney Weston has said those conditions were not acceptable.