Macdonald Bridge's Big Lift gets dubstep, time lapse video

Halifax Harbour Bridges is documenting progress on the Big Lift project in a time lapse video set to dubstep music in an effort to show off the work that's gone into replacing the first eight decks.

"We just really want to show people the project and this is one way to do it without having to stand there and watch it weekend after weekend," said Alison MacDonald, communications manager with Halifax Harbour Bridges.

The video — shot by Journeyman Film Company — begins with snow on the ground, quickly followed by sparks flying from the bridge at night. You see the deck segments lowered and lifted in seconds — a process that usually takes hours.

'Large and complex project' 

"Some of what you're seeing is the work happening overnight. They're doing lots of welding out there, they're doing cutting of deck segment," she said. 

"That's when they're actually replacing a deck segment. They're making adjustments to the hangers. Any number of things."

The $150-million Big Lift project started in mid-2015 and since then, the Macdonald Bridge has been closed most evenings and weekends.

"This is a very large and complex project and it's also a very cool project that's only happened one other time in the world and it's happening here in Halifax," MacDonald said.

"We've heard from people that they're really enjoying watching it happen. Sometimes people go down to the waterfront to see the deck segments being replaced."

Celebrating milestones

The Macdonald Bridge's Big Lift is only the second time that a suspension bridge has had its spans replaced while keeping the bridge open to traffic during the day. The first time was the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver more than a decade ago.

"We kind of like to pick milestones and we reached a milestone with this. We're finished all eight [decks] on the Dartmouth side, we've replaced the first one on the main span and this coming weekend, we will start replacing two deck segments a weekend."

As for the choice in dubstep music, MacDonald says that was Journeyman's artistic choice. She says there are plans to release more small videos documenting the progress.