Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, Suspension bridge in Halifax, Canada
The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge is a suspension bridge across Halifax Harbour linking the Halifax Peninsula to Dartmouth. Its steel towers resemble those of the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver, as both were designed by Philip Louis Pratley. The suspended span measures 762.1 metres, and the deck carries three reversible lanes plus pedestrian and bicycle paths.
Construction ran from 1952 to 1955 using caissons for underwater work; five workers died falling from catwalks. The bridge opened on April 2, 1955, at a cost of $11.5 million, designed by Philip Louis Pratley and built by Dominion Bridge Company Ltd. A 1999 modernization added a reversible third lane and an orthotropic deck 35% lighter than the old roadway.
The bridge is named after Angus L. Macdonald, Nova Scotia's premier from 1933 to 1940 and 1945 to 1954, who pushed for a harbour crossing before his death in 1954. Its towers echo those of the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver, both designed by Philip Louis Pratley. The crossing links several Halifax Transit bus routes between Halifax and Dartmouth.
Visitors can walk or cycle across using separate paths designed for each mode of travel. The crossing is manageable on foot or by bike and offers harbour and skyline views while making the passage.
Between 2015 and 2017, the entire bridge deck was replaced while in operation during a project known as the Big Lift. This process allowed the structure to remain open while undergoing major renovation.
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