Lennox Passage bridge work completed

Project cost nearly $1 million more than anticipated

LENNOX PASSAGE — The major refurbishment of the bridge linking Isle Madame and Cape Breton wrapped up earlier this month but had a final price tag of almost $1 million more than anticipated when the tender was issued.

Two-lane traffic returned to the Lennox Passage bridge in Richmond County on Nov. 8 after the lengthy and extensive refurbishment.

Marla MacInnis, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Department, indicated minor cleanup work is ongoing but is expected to have no further impact on traffic.

Last fall, the tender to repair the lift bridge at Lennox Passage was awarded at a cost of $4.54 million to Allsteel Coatings Ltd. of Port Hastings. The work had been scaled back slightly from the original vision after the only bid came back more expensive than anticipated.

MacInnis said the final cost of the project was about $5.5 million.

The project timeline was extended once it was determined that additional work would be required. The scope of the work increased due to some mechanical and structural issues that needed to be addressed for the safe and efficient operation of the bridge.

“We are confident that this work has improved the operation of the lift span and the bridge overall,” MacInnis wrote.

“No further repairs or rehabilitation work is expected for the long term.”

The bridge was not operational for marine traffic this season.

One of the largest aspects of the project was a rehab of the lift bridge’s mechanical components. Initially, it was believed they could be worked on while in place, however when crews started to actually do the work that wasn’t possible and they had to be disassembled and sent away.

Some additional steel work was also required. After the scope of the work was extended, a department official indicated that mechanically, it would be like a new bridge once it was completed.

The bridge had to be welded shut last year and did not open to boaters that season.

Historically, the span has opened, originally as a swing bridge and more recently as a lift bridge, which dates back to the 1970s.

The bridge lifts to allow boat traffic to pass underneath it and provides access to Bras d’Or Lake.

When it was warmer than 26 C there was a possibility the bridge would not shut again once it was open because of the expansion of the joints. When the span was welded shut, most boat traffic was unable to make use of the shortcut and had to travel around Isle Madame.

The repairs are also expected to make the bridge more energy efficient.