Macdonald Bridge Big Lift project back on schedule

Work on theBig Lift is finally back on schedule.

Over the weekend, workers on the Macdonald Bridge project officiallyreached the half-way point in their work to replacesegments suspended aboveHalifax Harbour.

• Macdonald Bridge deck replacement project expected to meet timeline
• New schedule means Macdonald Bridge will be closed most weekends

The Big Lift's contractor, the American Bridge Canada Company, has replaced20 segments out of a total of 46 40suspended, six over land. Thirteen of thesegments have been replaced since the project moved to an accelerated schedule back in April.

Accelerated schedule

Just two months ago, the deck replacement on the 60-year-old bridgewas four months behind due to a combination of bad winter weather and a steep learning curve.

Halifax Harbour Bridges revised the Big Lift's work plan, which meant doubling the number of segments replaced on weekends. The move alsomeant inconveniencingmotorists by closing the bridge every weekend for the rest of the year.

"We had originally planned to replace all of the deck segments by late fall 2016, but we slipped on that schedule because of not being able to get the deck segments in as frequently as we hoped," said Halifax Harbour Bridges spokeswomanAlison MacDonald.

"Since moving to two a weekend, we're back on schedule and we will be, at this point in time, confident in saying we will replace all the deck segments by the end of 2016."

Bridge still closed most weekends

The Macdonald Bridge's Big Lift is only the second time in history a suspension bridge has had its spanreplaced while remaining operational during the day.

The first time was the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver more than a decade ago.

The entire Halifax project is expected to be done by fall of 2017.

The bridge is expected to remain closed for most weekends for the rest of the year.