Tender Called for Placentia Lift Bridge Construction

Replacement of the Sir Ambrose Shea Lift Bridge in Placentia is expected to begin this summer, as the Department of Transportation and Works calls a tender for the construction of a new vertical lift bridge across Placentia Gut.

“The Sir Ambrose Shea Lift Bridge is an iconic piece of infrastructure in our province, which has served the region well since its construction 50 years ago,” said the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Transportation and Works. “With this tender call, we are now ready to begin construction of a replacement for this important bridge, which once completed will serve residents and businesses of the entire region for decades to come.”

The new lift bridge will be built directly adjacent to the existing bridge, which will remain open to traffic until the new bridge is complete. This will keep disruption to traffic flow to a minimum, but some delays are expected as heavy equipment and construction vehicles travel to and from the construction site.

“The existing structure has bridged the gap between Placentia and Jerseyside and has been a landmark in this region for decades,” said the Honourable Felix Collins, Minister of Justice and MHA for Placentia-St. Mary’s. “We now look forward to the construction of our new lift bridge, which will not only serve as a vital connection between our communities, but as a connection to our history and identity as a region. This represents a major investment by our government into the regional infrastructure and will certainly be welcomed by all residents and visitors alike.”

The project is expected to take two years to complete and will include the realignment of a portion of Route 100 leading to and from the new bridge as well as the removal of the existing bridge.

Budget 2011 Standing Strong: For Prosperity. For Our Future. For Newfoundland and Labrador provides funding of $216.4 million for road and bridge improvements, supplemented by an additional $35.2 million in Federal Government funding, providing for a total road and bridge investment in 2011-12 of $251.6 million.

- 30 -

Media contacts:

2011 05 13                                                                           10:20 a.m.