Fixing Bay Road Bridge not a priority, says province
Transportation officials say fixing the Bay Road Bridge in Inverness, P.E.I., is not a priority.
The province announced Wednesday the bridge would be closed permanently because of structural concerns.
Darrell Evans with the Department of Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy said there are no residents on Bay Road, and traffic volume across the bridge is "very low."
"We don't foresee doing any work to that in the next five years because we have other priorities," he said.
There is a seven-kilometer detour around the bridge.
Routine inspection
Evans said a bridge inspection team identified the structural issues during a routine inspection last weekend. Every bridge in P.E.I. is inspected at least once every two years.
He said inspectors determined the foundation was no longer able to support the structure.
"The concerns were that traffic or a vehicle might actually go through the deck and, you know, into the river."
Closures becoming more common
Evans said Bay Road Bridge is the third structure the department has closed due to structural concerns this year.
He said inspectors are coming across more structural issues with bridges as the years go by due to age.
"They're not getting any younger," he said.
- MORE P.E.I. NEWS | Extension of Upton Road, new bridge no longer necessary: Department of Transportation
- MORE P.E.I. NEWS | How mustard could be the 'golden ticket' to stopping potato pest
