Angus L. Macdonald Bridge

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name= Angus L. Macdonald Bridge


caption= The "Macdonald Bridge" in May 2006. The North End can be seen in the background.
official_name=
also_known_as= Macdonald Bridge
carries= Motor vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles
crosses= Halifax Harbour
locale= Halifax Regional Municipality (Halifax, – Dartmouth)
maint= Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission
id=
design= Suspension bridge
mainspan= 441 metres
length= 1.3 kilometres (0.84 miles)
width= 11.5 metres (34.8 feet)
height=102.9 metres (337.69 feett)
clearance= 54 metres (177.25 ft) at centre-span
below= 46.9 metres (153.87 ft) at centre-span
traffic= 37,739 (2005)
begin= 1952
open= April 2, 1955
toll= $0.75 CAD cash / $0.60 MACPASS
map_cue=
map_

map_text=
map_width=
coordinates= coord|44|39|48|N|63|35|6|W|region:CA_type:landmark
lat= 44.663333
long= -63.585

The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge is a Canadian suspension bridge crossing Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia; 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 [http://www.eng.ucalgary.ca/Press_Release/2005/Bridging-Success-April2005.pdf] . 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. In 2005 the average number of vehicle crossings per day was 37,739.

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 2007, the bridge charges a toll (75¢, 60¢ with "MACPASS" electronic toll system) to cross for regular passenger vehicles. Larger vehicles have higher tolls proportional to the number of axles. Beginning May 1, 2008, tokens were no longer accepted as payment to cross the bridges.

Trivia

* A memorial was recently placed near the bridge commission building honouring the iron workers who built the bridge.
* The pedestrian sidewalk and the bicycle lane are part of the Trans Canada Trail.
* The Macdonald Bridge appeared in the 2003 movie "".
* The Macdonald Bridge appeared in the 2004 movie "Sex Traffic".
* The bridge was closed for a short time when the toll plaza was severely damaged by Hurricane Juan in 2003.
* To locals, the Macdonald Bridge is referred to as "The Old Bridge" since it was the first harbour suspension bridge.
* In July 2006 emergency telephones were installed on the bridge to summon officials in the event of an emergency.
* In July 2007 suicide barriers were installed along 22% of the pedestrian lane to prevent suicide attempts and protect navy personnel at HMC "Dockyard" which the bridge crosses over. Among others, environmental activist Tooker Gomberg is thought to have committed suicide here.

ee also

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

External links

* [http://www.hdbc.ns.ca/macdonald_general.asp Halifax Bridge Commission information]
*
* [http://www.cherubinigroup.com/cont3pic.htm Cherubini Group construction photos] including deck fabrication and replacement
* [http://www.macpassmiles.com MacPass Bridge Mile Running Race]