MEDIA RELEASE: Construction Closure of Shoal Harbour Causeway Bridge

April 5, 2023

CLARENVILLE, NL (April 5, 2023) – The Town of Clarenville would like to advise residents and visitors that construction of the Shoal Harbour Causeway Bridge replacement will begin on Monday, April 10th, 2023.

Effective April 10th, 2023 the Causeway will be closed to both vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic. The walking trail bridge will also be closed at the causeway for safety reasons during construction. The bridge replacement project is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2023. The construction site will be closed to the public.

Traffic detours and construction signage will be located around Town. Traffic will be diverted to Shoal Harbour Drive during construction. Harbour Drive will remain as a one-way street. We ask all motorist & the general public to please respect the construction safety signs & detour routes. More details will be provided in the coming days.

“It is with great anticipation that we announce the start of the construction of the causeway bridge replacement on April 10th, 2023. We thank residents for your patience over the past 5 years. It was a longer wait than I would have liked but we look forward to the bridge completion in the fall of 2023. I ask that residents please adhere to construction safety signs and traffic detours during construction. More detailed construction notices will be provided to residents in the coming days. Mayor Pickett”

Background:
In March 2018, an inspection of the bridge revealed structural issues. Council temporarily closed the bridge to conducting a detailed engineering analysis. In July 2018, the bridge was reduced to one-lane traffic only with a 25 tonnes weight restriction. In 2019, Council awarded a contract for the preliminary engineering including bridge replacement options. In September 2019, Council received the preliminary engineering report and selected a concrete girder style bridge for the causeway bridge replacement. In 2019 & 2020, Council filed funding applications under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure fund. Funding was approved by all three levels of Government in August 2021. Council awarded a contract for the detailed design and tendering to Englobe in 2022.
The causeway bridge replacement will be equally cost-shared between the Federal Government, Provincial Government, and the Town. In November 2022, a construction tender was awarded to Trident Construction Ltd in the amount of $3,436,448.40 (HST Incl.).

Media Contact:
Mayor John Pickett
(709) 466-7937
Email: jpickett@clarenville.ca

Last modified: April 5, 2023

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