Courtesy Town of Riverview
The provincial government didn’t give much notice about an earlier date for the causeway closure but the Town of Riverview has been preparing for several years now.
Mayor Ann Seamans says a number of projects have been undertaken to help alleviate congestion including the new Bridgedale Boulevard from Gunningsville to Runneymeade which will help east-west traffic flow and the approach to the Gunningsville Bridge was widened.
The Town has also been engaging residents about the closure with public consultations, a survey and an awareness campaign.
To take advantage of lower traffic volumes during COVID, the province has moved up the causeway closure date by a month to April 5.
Petitcodiac River Bridge under construction (submitted)
In less than six weeks, the causeway over the Petitcodiac River linking Moncton and Riverview will be closing.
The provincial government announced today it is moving up the closure date to April 5 instead of May as originally planned.
The Petitcodiac River Bridge which is replacing the causeway is expected to be ready to open in October.
The closure is required to realign the river channel under the new bridge, as well as to decommission the existing gate structure and construct the approaches and bridge connections.
“As work on the project is progressing well, we are starting the causeway’s six-month full closure one month earlier than planned. It will reopen to traffic in October instead of November,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Jill Green.
Riverview mayor and council at the opening of Bridgedale Boulevard (Town of Riverview)
The new Bridgedale Boulevard in Riverview is now open to traffic.
Construction of the 1.6-kilometre roadway linking Runneymeade Road and Gunningsville Boulevard began in April.
Roundabouts are located at both ends of Bridgedale Boulevard.
“This an important project for the Town of Riverview in an effort to lighten traffic congestion that our community will experience during the planned closure of the causeway in May 2021,” says Riverview Mayor Ann Seamans.
In 2019, Riverview Town Council approved phase one of the Bridgedale Boulevard project, which included construction of the roadway as well as further development of Mill Creek Nature Park and continuing road infrastructure upgrades and renewals.