COUNTRY HARBOUR — Several residents are expressing concern about the state of the small but important Harris’s Bridge in the Nine Mile Woods area of Country Harbour, saying it presents significant danger to motorists.
Courtney Walsh, who lives near the span and travels across it at least four times a day, told The Journal in a phone interview that the condition of the single-lane wooden structure is “deplorable ... I’ve lived here all of my life, and all I can recall is a few boards being replaced from time to time.”
Walsh said she has reported the situation to the provincial Department of Public Works (DPW) several times “and they finally came out last week and poured asphalt into the holes but, within a few days, it’s being destroyed and is almost gone.”
Noting that in past years the bridge had a top layer of boards nailed onto the older rotting boards, she added, “Now, the top layer of the bridge is spongy – you can easily pull the boards up with your hand.”
If the bridge becomes unusable, she said her only option is a route via a dirt road that will take her 30 minutes, as opposed to the 12 minutes when using the bridge. “What will happen if an ambulance needs to use that bridge and it’s impassable, or if they get a flat tire?” she asked. “That’s valuable time for an emergency.”
Walsh noted that the school bus also crosses that bridge four times a day. “It’s a well-travelled bridge, but it’s so bad that people are avoiding using it because they don’t want their tires to be destroyed,” she said.
Adam Farnsworth lives on Borneo Rd. in Country Harbour. The owner of a construction company, he told The Journal that he uses the bridge often to get to and from job sites.
“I’ve lived here for nearly 50 years,” said Farnsworth. “I recently bought a new construction trailer and, as usual, I had to go across the bridge.” But, he said, he stopped when he saw lifted boards and spikes sticking out.
“With a school bus and other vehicles behind me, I had to get out and use a sledgehammer to remove the spikes, so we could cross safely and not have our tires destroyed.” he reported.
The Journal reached out to Greg Morrow, MLA for Guysborough-Tracadie, for an update on the situation. Morrow said he’s been very engaged with both the local DPW, as well as the department’s head office in Halifax, and noted that some repairs, including cold patching, have been done as a temporary measure.
“More maintenance work is anticipated,” Morrow said. “Crews are planning to re-deck the entire bridge with wood this summer.”
In an email to The Journal, DPW spokesperson Gary Andrea confirmed that work crews have “applied a cold asphalt mix on the bridge because of damage from a buildup of ice and snow on the surface. Additional repairs will take place when conditions allow, prior to the resurfacing of the entire deck later this summer. The Country Harbour bridge is not scheduled for replacement at this time.”
Farnsworth said, “It’s time to take the bull by the horns.”
He added, “Boards are missing and there are so many holes – filling those holes in with asphalt isn’t going to do the job; it’s a waste of time and resources. A complete repair is needed, with the old boards removed and new ones put in. Like I said, it’s time.”
