New bridge to be built at North Lake, P.E.I.

A new bridge is planned for P.E.I.'s North Lake Harbour to improve clearance for boat traffic and provide better access to facilities in the area, the province says.

Province to spend $2.5M to replace 50-year-old bridge

Brittany Spencer · CBC News · Posted: Jan 17, 2019 1:00 PM EST | Last Updated: January 17, 2019

Construction on the new bridge is expected to begin this year, the province says. (Brittany Spencer/CBC)

The provincial government is planning to build a new bridge in North Lake Harbour, P.E.I., to improve clearance for boat traffic and provide better access to facilities in the area.

The province plans to spend $2.5 million to replace the existing bridge with a taller, more modern structure, it announced Thursday.

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Built nearly 50 years ago, the bridge that connects the two sides of North Lake Harbour is an important passageway for both cars and boats in the area.

But it was long overdue for replacement and it hasn't been safe for heavy trucks or farm machinery to use for the last five years, said North Lake Harbour Authority manager Sheila Eastman.

Sheila Eastman, manager of the North Lake Harbour Authority, says the new bridge will benefit everyone in the community. (Brittany Spencer/CBC)

"We use it every day, be it for taking bait back and forth to boats, or transport of product — lobster, tuna whatever — back and forth across to market," Eastman said.

"When we're not able to use it for fire trucks and also for school buses it becomes a very important part of the community that's missing."

'A bit nerve-racking'

While the bridge provides easy access to the harbour for cars, it has caused problems for local fishermen for years.

The current bridge has been causing problems for local fishermen in the area for a number of years. (Brittany Spencer/CBC)

Jamie Bruce, a lobster fisherman who also runs a tuna fishing charter out of the harbour, said during high tide it's nearly impossible to get his boat under the bridge and into the harbour.

"I do park above the bridge so I do have to go underneath that every day," Bruce said. "It's a bit nerve-racking to tell you the truth. My boat is a little over 16 feet wide and I have very little clearance on either side of the boat."

"There was a couple of days last spring during May and June alone that I couldn't even get underneath the bridge with high tides."

North Lake lobster fisherman Jamie Bruce says the bridge has been a safety concern for years and he hopes the new design will better accommodate bigger boats. (Brittany Spencer/CBC)

Bruce said a new bridge will be a big relief to many fishermen in the area and he hopes it will be built to accommodate the ever-increasing size of new fishing boats.

"I'll put it this way, 20 years ago a big boat was only 13 feet [four metres] wide. Currently a big boat is 16 to 17 feet [5 metres] wide — let's add another 20 years on," Bruce said.

"Let's be proactive, bigger and better, better improved and plan for the future."

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'A long 18 years'

Eastman said the community council has been pushing for a new bridge for nearly two decades and she's thrilled with the news.

The province says it will be consulting with the harbour authority and local fishermen to make sure construction doesn't disrupt fishing. (Brittany Spencer/CBC)

"This has been something the harbour authority has hoped for and we are excited to see real changes happening," Eastman said.

"It's been a long 18 years," Eastman said. "It's very good, it's very nice to think that it will come to pass and that we will have a new structure that will hopefully last for another 40 years."

Paula Biggar, minister of transportation, infrastructure and energy, said the government recognized the need to replace the existing bridge, which was built in 1969.