Quispamsis covered bridge has excavator removed

The excavator that had been hanging from a Quispamsis covered bridge for almost three weeks was freed early this afternoon.

A crew of at least 14 construction workers were working to free the excavator from the Hammond River No 2 Bridge on Tuesday. The street leading towards it was lined with trucks and heavy machinery.

They worked through the morning, cutting beams and attaching tow ropes to the excavator, which was dangling from a support beam. By early afternoon the excavator broke loose and drove swiftly back up the hill.

There is still a large hole in the bridge where the excavator crashed through the floorboards.

Overweight excavator

The 14 ton machine fell through Hammond River No 2 Bridge, with a posted weight limit of 12 tons, early Oct. 5 while trying to carry a load of wood.

The contractor, Gary McKinney Construction, was hired by DTI to assist crews in replacing the deck of the bridge, built in 1912.

It was already undergoing repairs and was closed to traffic.

The province secured the bridge by erecting two wooden supports and a long l-beam before it was possible to remove the excavator.

Clarence Ball, founder of the Covered Bridges of New Brunswick Facebook group, has been following the removal process.

"I'm glad that's out of there," said Ball.  "[Now] there's not as much strain pulling on the bridge, and hopefully they can get into the next step, which is assessing the situation."

Repair or replace?

The additional damage and excavator removal delayed the bridge repairs significantly, and raised questions about whether the bridge was even worth repairing.

Ball said that should not even be a question for the government.

"If, for whatever reason, they can't get the bridge operational for car traffic again...then they could at least keep it there and build a new bridge next to it, which they've done on Darling's Island," said Ball

"I think the most important thing is to preserve the structure and keep it there, even if it can't be used as intended. These historical bridges shouldn't be just taken down when they are damaged, they should be made to repair at all costs."

The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said a damage assessment will be carried out to determine what repairs are required. There is no timeline for re-opening the bridge.