Abstract Manager

Vaughan Creek Covered Bridge Replacement

St. Martins, NB

New Brunswick is currently home to 58 covered bridges with its Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DTI) having 54 of them in its inventory.  Two bridges are owned by and located within Federal National Parks, and two are privately owned by the City of Moncton.

Each year, thousands of tourists visit the community of St. Martins, NB to experience the Fundy Trail, the highest tidal fluctuations in the world, and two covered bridges;  Vaughan Creek and Hardscrabble.

As with many jurisdictions, DTI’s covered bridges are aging and require continuous maintenance and repairs. The 22m single span Vaughan Creek Covered Bridge was originally built in 1935 for horse-drawn buggies, and was increasingly subjected to increases in sea level and tidal surges during storms over the years.  The bridge had seen several members replaced and after many years of deterioration, increased traffic, and a height and weight restriction it was decided to eventually replace it with a new covered bridge.

During the Fall/Winter of 2020/2021, a request for proposals was prepared and issued by DTI to design and construct a new two-lane covered bridge on the same crossing.  The alignment required improvements for the new bridge to accommodate two-way traffic, while its structure had to be both raised and lengthened to be clear of storm surges and future sea level rise while maintaining a single span. The new bridge construction also needed to accommodate larger vehicles, (tractor-semitrailers and buses) as per code standards and included a dedicated, covered pedestrian walkway.

Proponents were given three weeks to submit their proposals for evaluation.  This was followed by a two week evaluation period by DTI staff.  The project was awarded in June 2021, and the successful designer/builder began the project in September, 2021.

Construction of the project was challenging due to the limited site area and the tides. Timber components required assembly offsite and transported to bridge site to be erected.   The main bridge façade was constructed with the same materials as the original bridge, (hemlock and cedar) from Norton, NB.

The long-awaited official opening of the new two lane wooden covered bridge happened on  September 1, 2022.