Westmorland Street Bridge, Road bridge in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
The Westmorland Street Bridge is a continuous steel girder structure with concrete sidewalls, 750 metres long, carrying four traffic lanes at a posted 70 km/h limit. A pedestrian and bicycle pathway runs along the north side of the vehicle lanes. It links Westmorland Street in downtown Fredericton to Route 105 in Nashwaaksis.
Public debate preceded the bridge: the Citizens' Bridge Committee formed in May 1974 against the riverfront location, and Save Our City regrouped in January 1977. Construction began in the late 1970s, and the span opened on 19 September 1981. The Carleton Street Bridge's steel truss spans were then dismantled, though its piers remain in the river.
The name Pointe-Sainte-Anne, given to the boulevard on the south bank, was the historic Acadian name for Fredericton: this point of the river held a village opposite Fort Nashwaak. The French street name keeps that reference alive for anyone crossing the bridge today.
Visitors should note that the bridge is primarily designed for vehicle traffic, but the dedicated north pathway provides safe access for pedestrians and cyclists. The best time to cross on foot or by bicycle is outside peak hours when traffic is lighter.
The last time the Fredericton Railway Bridge swing span opened was during construction of the Westmorland Street Bridge, when tugboats and barges passed through. The Carleton Street Bridge swing span also opened for the same purpose. After the 1981 opening, the Carleton Bridge's steel truss spans were dismantled, but its piers remain in the river.
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