Tide has changed on Sangsters Bridge replacement

Plans to replace the Sangsters Bridge this summer have been put on hold -- and that could mean good news for some. The aging structure, which connects Windsor Forks and Upper Falmouth, has been in need of replacing for years. However, spending $2 million on another single-lane bridge didn't make much sense to area Coun. Anna MacDonald. She has lobbied heavily in favor of a two-lane and hopes the delay indicates that option is still on the table.

“People here have been waiting for a new bridge for far too long,” she said. “But it gives me some hope that at least now they’re thinking about a two-lane.”

MacDonald was sorely disappointed when a one-lane was commissioned last February. “It think it’s a waste of money to put another one lane bridge in; it’s ridiculous.”

Although the modular replacement would have eliminated some concerns, MacDonald said it was not the safest option. “The government may think they understand the traffic level here but I have lived on this hill for years and I've seen first hand the increase in volume.”

Hants West MLA Chuck Porter has also lobbied for the bridge replacement and noted that the original scheme was the lesser of two evils. “I never stopped working for a two-lane, but if a one-lane is all we can get then we'll take it.” It was either that, he said, or leave residents stuck with an unsafe bridge.

“The old bridge has weight restrictions because of deterioration,” Porter noted during his announcement last February. “This new bridge will be sturdier and safer for local residents.”

And that’s not to mention less costly and faster to build. A two-lane bridge was initially considered, but would take about eight months to complete and cost more than twice as much. It would also have required larger approaches that would impact the riverbed and bank areas Porter said at the time.

Since the original announcement, however, Porter has continued to push for a change in direction. “My plan was always for a new two-lane (bridge),” he said. Porter had met with Transportation Minister Murray Scott recently requesting they revisit their options before it's too late. “I want the right fix and I’m willing to wait for that.”

Although no formal commitment been made to date holding out for a two-lane bridge is a risk Porter said he’s willing to take. “If we go in the direction of a two-lane it won’t be done this year, but I think people would be willing to wait for a two-lane.”

Coun. MacDonald agrees it’s worthwhile to wait and see, but hopes residents don’t loose faith in the interim. “I guess we'll all just have to keep our fingers crossed, again,” she said.