Bridge Mitigation Plan presented to City Council

Senior city staff presented the Bridge Mitigation Plan to Miramichi City Council at a Council in Committee meeting Tuesday, February 10th.
The presentation came after the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure announced the Centennial Bridge would be closing in 2026 and 2027. This years planned closure is scheduled for April 1st to December 1st.

Engineer Mark Buckingham made the presentation, highlighting the mitigation plan is focused on public safety and the actions that will be taken to address public concerns and set realistic expectations during the bridge closure.
A number of upgrades to streets and intersections have been completed in advance of the project. They include:
Route 8/Water Street – Roundabout
King George Highway Intersection Upgrades:
- Kingsway Avenue
- Jane Street
- George Street
- Newcastle Boulevard
- Ledden Street
- French Fort Road
- Intersection Upgrade, Pleasant Street/Hennessy Street

Temporary traffic lights will installed at:
- University Avenue at Route 8 WB
- Hennessey Street at Pleasant Street
- King George Highway at Cove Road
- King George Highway at French Fort Road
- King George Highway at Percy Kelly Drive
- King George Highway at Rennie Road
All traffic lights will have an advanced green for left hand turns and the traffic lights will be timed.

Staff and equipment will be set up in strategic locations for the Public Works and Community Wellness and Recreation departments.
Off hours operations may have to take place for Public Works.
The Recreation Department will use a satellite office to reduce disruption in programming, sports field maintenance will adjusted and facility openings will be monitored.
The Miramichi Fire Department will be set up in a temporary location in the Douglastown area to provide 24/7 coverage. The location is yet to be determined. Temporary rezoning is being discussed with the Greater Miramichi Service Commission.
The Miramichi Police Force will have additional staffing to cover the Douglastown area as well to provide 24/7 coverage. New collision reconstruction software has been purchased to reduce road closures from major accidents from six hours to two hours.
Miramichi Transit will have an Express Route set up that will run from the Chatham Shopping Centre to Northumberland Square. The routes will be updated and will additional staffing there will be two buses running on the northside and two on the southside Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The updated route maps will be released in early March and the new routes will be put in place by March 15th.
All this information will be on the City’s website at miramichi.org in a Bridge Closure Information Hub. Social media channels will be used to provide continuous updates and the Voyent Alert app will provide urgent information when required.
The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure and the City of Miramichi will host an open house on Feb. 26 at the Miramichi Agricultural Exhibition Association, 24 Church St., to inform people about the work being done and to discuss the mitigation measures being put in place.
For more information, please email communications@miramich.org