Could St. Martins scenic covered bridge soon be obsolete?
While the province works to shore up one of the village's iconic covered bridges St. Martins faces a difficult discussion about the future of the historic timber structure.
The opening of the Fundy Parkway through to southeast New Brunswick is expected to generate traffic levels that will make the 82-year-old, single-lane Vaughan Creek Bridge obsolete.
Village Mayor Bette Ann Chatterton wants to make sure any plans to create a two-way crossing at the site do not include removal of the bridge.
"We need the village to grow but we need to keep the heritage," Chatterton said.
"We're just trying to ensure that when that does, or if it does, happen that we're in the loop and we have some input into how we want that to look."
The Vaughan Creek covered bridge failed inspection last week.
It remains open to most vehicles but has been fixed with an 18-tonne weight restriction.
Motor coaches now cross the bridge empty, with passengers making their way across on foot.
Chatterton said repair plans by the province include construction of a temporary, modular bridge alongside the Vaughan Creek covered bridge, a move that demonstrates there is space for a permanent second bridge at that location.
A second bridge would allow the current wood structure to remain in use.
"We just want to be part of the discussion and part of the planning, that's all," she said.
A spokesperson for the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said there are no plans at the moment to look at two-way traffic at the village harbour.
"Our focus at this time is getting the existing structure reinforced and the modular bridge installed," said Tanya Greer, director of communications for the department. "We'll be engaging with the community as we look at plans for a permanent structure."
The Fundy Trail parkway is scheduled to open to the Sussex region by late 2019 and to the Alma region in late 2020.
