CN Bridges Rehabilitation Project

In 2021, the Canadian National Railway (CN) will complete rehabilitation on a roadway bridge within the municipality at South Street. This work includes:

  • Rehabilitation to the arch bridge structure (responsibility of CN).
  • Full replacement of the paved surface and railing at each location. The sidewalks will also be replaced (responsibility of the Halifax Regional Municipality). 
  • The Halifax Regional Municipality continues to work closely with CN, as well as colleagues at Halifax Water and Dalhousie University, to ensure proper planning and coordination for the work.

The nature of the work requires that the bridge be fully closed for a portion of the CN Bridge Rehabilitation Project. 

South Street

  • Beginning in late March 2021, preliminary site preparation, including tree removal will be completed to accommodate work incidental to the repairs to the CN bridge. 
    • CN is making every effort to only remove the trees required to accommodate repairs to the bridge.
  • Access to the neighbourhood will be provided via a detour route (seen below) comprised of Beaufort Avenue, Oakland Road and Rockcliffe Street. A temporary bridge structure will be used for temporary bypass of utilities only. Construction will begin in April and will be complete in September. 
  • Crews will abide by municipal noise by-laws, and work may also take place on Saturdays and Sundays, if needed.
  • Project updates will be available to the travelling public on Halifax.ca.
  • The South Street Boat Launch will remain open.

Detour Map

Detour route map, comprised of Beaufort Avenue, Oakland Road and Rockcliffe Street.

Common Questions 

Why does the CN bridge on South Street need to close entirely?

A full closure of the CN bridge is necessary to complete the rehabilitation, repairs, and safety improvements to the aging infrastructure. The bridge cannot be open to traffic as the geometry of the structure does not lend itself to maintaining any traffic access while extensive work is being completed. 

How will this affect emergency services in the area?

We have communicated the project details with first responders to ensure proper planning and coordination. Proper planning will allow emergency crews to access the same areas surrounding the bridge, as they will be directed to use the detour route.  

Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency uses a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system that regularly adapts to road closures, so there is no anticipated delay in service delivery. 

Some parking in the area will be restricted to allow for the passage of larger vehicles.  

How will this affect pedestrian traffic in the area? 

All pedestrian traffic will be required to use the same detour as the roadway traffic. The detour route has a pedestrian sidewalk for the full length of the detour.  

What will the construction hours be for this project?

The exact hours of construction will vary, however, the contractor is required to follow the municipality’s noise by-law. This means that all construction will take place within the hours of 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Mondays to Fridays, within the hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays and holidays.

How will I be informed of progress with the CN Bridges Rehabilitation Project?

Regular project updates will be posted to this web page. Information regarding the impact on traffic, including detour routes, will be posted here. Also, you can follow @hfxgov on Twitter for ongoing updates.

Project Background 

In 2019, the Canadian National Railway (CN) began rehabilitation and repairs on three cost-shared structures within the municipality at Quinpool Road, Belmont on the Arm and Marlborough Woods. This work included:

  • Rehabilitation to the arch bridge structures (responsibility of CN)
  • Full replacement of the paved surface and railing at each location. The sidewalks were  also replaced (responsibility of the municipality).

Quinpool Road

  • The work for the Quinpool Road bridge rehabilitation was completed on July 29, 2019 and the road has now reopened to traffic.

Belmont on the Arm & Marlborough Woods 

  • The work for the Belmont on the Arm & Marlborough Woods bridge rehabilitation was completed in June 2020, and the road has now reopened to traffic. Topsoil was added to protect stumps which will encourage rapid tree growth once the bridge rehabilitation work is complete.

Coburg Road 

  • The work for the Coburg Road bridge rehabilitation was completed in December 2020 and the road has now reopened to traffic.