Hammond River covered bridge to be repaired, says Bill Fraser

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Bill Fraser says the Hammond River No. 2 covered bridge will be repaired.

Fraser tweeted the announcement Thursday night, saying more details would be released Friday.

The full announcement was not expected to be made until Friday.

The bridge, located in Quispamsis, was closed in October when an excavator working on repairs to the decking crashed through because it was too heavy.

The government had been considering whether to repair the structure, which would take about eight months, or replace it with a steel bridge, which would take roughly three months.

Both options would cost an estimated $1 million, department officials have said.

Close to 150 people attended a public meeting held in Hampton on Nov. 29 to discuss the options and fill out a survey, including members of the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges.

There are 60 covered bridges left in the province.

The Hammond River No. 2 bridge, which is on Route 860 at the end of French Village Road, was built in 1912.

The bridge has a posted weight limit of 12 tonnes, but on Oct. 5, a contractor hired by the Transportation Department to conduct repairs drove a 13-tonne excavator loaded with lumber across it.

The excavator crashed through and remained suspended between the bridge and embankment below for several days before it could be safely removed.