(Photo: submitted by Jason Bullerwell)
For the next six months, if you’re looking to travel between Moncton and Riverview, you will likely be using the Gunningsville Bridge.
After years of community engagement, preparations and public concerns, the causeway will close today.
The project was originally scheduled for May, but the closure was moved up to take advantage of low traffic flows. An earlier start date will allow for the opening of a new bridge to occur in October rather than November.
Although there may be fewer people on the roads due to the pandemic, it’s estimated that an additional 25,000 people will cross the bridge every day. Cathy Donaldson, the interim Communications Coordinator for the Town of Riverview, believes there will be hiccups along the way, but the adjustments will be gradual.
“People are as ready as they can be it’s really a trial and error process for the first few days,” she says.
There have been many additions created to ease the process, including traffic cameras on both sides of the bridge and new Codiac Transpo routes.
Donaldson described the situation as a “short term pain for a long term gain” because of the new steel girder bridge that will replace the causeway. This will help realign the river channel under the bridge and address the environmental issues that have affected the waterway for several decades.
Donaldson adds that conversations with emergency services have indicated that they are collaborating and will monitor the situation as it progresses.
