Angus L. Macdonald Bridge

The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, locally known as "the old bridge", is a suspension bridge crossing Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia, Canada; it opened on April 2, 1955.

The bridge is one of two suspension bridges currently linking the Halifax Peninsula to Dartmouth in the Halifax Regional Municipality.

It is named after the former premier of Nova Scotia, Angus L. Macdonald, who had died in 1954 and had been instrumental in having the bridge built. The bridge was designed by Phillip Pratley, one of Canada's foremost long-span bridge designers who had also been responsible for the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver[1]. The bridges have a similar design, which is most notable in the towers. The contractor was Dominion Bridge Company Ltd.

The bridge occasionally experiences traffic congestion during rush hours as a result of the structure's proximity to the downtown cores of Halifax and Dartmouth, as well as its narrow width. Large commercial vehicles are not permitted to cross and must use the wider MacKay bridge to the north-west. Public transit buses are allowed to cross and the bridge links several Metro Transit routes. Some Acadian Lines inter-city bus routes use the bridge to access the Halifax Railway Station. In 2005 the average number of vehicle crossings per day was 37,739.

Modernisation project

A modernisation project was undertaken in the late 1990s and completed in 1999 which saw the original 2 lanes and 1 sidewalk and utility corridor expanded to 3 lanes, with the centre lane being reversible to assist with traffic flow during peak periods.

To reduce the weight of the roadway, asphalt and concrete were removed and special steel plating (an orthotropic deck) was used in its place. New pedestrian and bicycle lanes were attached to the outside of the structure to replace the original sidewalks.

External aesthetic lights were added during the modernisation project which saw the bridge's towers lit for the first time on a continuous basis every evening from sunset until midnight. Critics derided the effort as a waste of electricity, given Halifax Harbour's frequent foggy weather conditions. The lighting was estimated by the bridge authority to cost in excess of $50,000 a year in 1999.

As of April 1, 2011, the toll charge to cross for regular passenger vehicles is $1.00 cash or $0.70 with the MACPASS electronic toll system (60¢ tokens were once used but are no longer accepted as of May 1, 2008). Larger vehicles have higher tolls proportional to the number of axles.

Suicide barrier controversy

The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge has attracted media attention as a "hot-spot" for suicides.^[1][2] Among others, environmental activist Tooker Gomberg is believed to have committed suicide here.

In July 2007, suicide barriers were installed along 22% of the pedestrian lane at the bridge's western end (Halifax abutment) to prevent suicide attempts and protect navy personnel at HMC Dockyard which the bridge crosses over. On May 13, 2009 the general manager and CEO of the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission, Steve Snider, announced that a tender for the long-called for extension of the barriers along the full length of the bridge would be issued in June 2009. As of March 2010 the remaining sections of the suicide barrier have been installed, so that the bridge now has suicide barriers along 100% of its pedestrian walkways.

Recent computer modeling has eliminated previous concerns that the bridge was not capable of handling the weight of the additional steel.

See also

• A. Murray MacKay Bridge – A newer suspension bridge crossing Halifax Harbour.
• Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission

Notes

http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/local/article/228489--falling-tvs-among-reasons-for-new-macdonald-bridge-safety-barrier

External links

• Halifax Bridge Commission information
• Angus L. Macdonald Bridge at Structurae
• Cherubini Group construction photos including deck fabrication and replacement
• MacPass Bridge Mile Running Race