MLA, mayor, farmers frustrated with covered bridge closure in Sackville, N.B.

Farmers who own land near the Wheaton Covered Bridge in Sackville, N.B., are becoming more and more frustrated with its closure.

“The cost for us to go around is just unreal. The price of fuel, tires, time,” said Robert Estabrooks, a farmer who lives close to the bridge.

Citing significant structural issues, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure [DTI] closed it on July 11 for safety reasons.

For locals, the 108-year-old covered bridge is a significant cultural and historical landmark.

But it's also an essential link for farmers who now have to take detours.

Weldon Estabrooks’ family has farmed the area for over 100 years.

“It takes away access from our property. It adds about 40 minutes to each round trip to get to our property, just the other side of the bridge,” said Weldon.

The Wheaton Covered Bridge in Sackville, N.B. (CTV/Derek Haggett)

He’d like to see the province build a new two-lane bridge and keep the old one as a walking bridge.

Phyllis Wheaton can still remember her parents driving her over the bridge when she was a kid.

“Mom and dad used to go through and we’d honk the horn,” she said. “This is my sister’s land and my brother’s land is on the other side. They have to get the hay home somehow. It’s just an inconvenience to have this closed. Not just for farmers, for everybody who uses it.”

Memramcook-Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton and Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black recently wrote letters to Department and Transportation Minister Richard Ames to stress the need for repair work to reopen the structure.

Mitton and officials with Tantramar met with the province today.

“I wish I could say there was a clear plan for what was going to happen,” said the Green MLA. “That's not where we're at yet. An assessment has been done and so I'm waiting to get a full update on that, but at least I know some work has been done.”

Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black wrote his letter to Ames a few days after Mitton because he believed it was time for the municipality to take a stand.

“Lots of people use this bridge to be able to access the lands that they need to farm and having a 14 kilometre drive-around as suggested by the provincial government through DTI is absolutely inappropriate and not feasible for many people for many people to do,” said Black.

Farmers and residents who live near the Wheaton Covered Bridge in Sackville, N.B., want the province to repair and reopen the 108-year-old structure. (CTV/Derek Haggett)

On July 23, a spokesperson for DTI told CTV News staff were evaluating the bridge, but there was no timetable for it to reopen.

Mitton stressed that no one is saying the bridge will never reopen, but she’s still concerned.

“I've asked for them [DTI] to guarantee they won't close it, because in my mind that's not even an option,” she said.

Black can't imagine the bridge will stay closed permanently.

“We're going to push as hard as we can for that to not happen. We want to make sure that this bridge remains open," said Black. "For the historical aspect, the agricultural piece and the inter connectivity in our new municipality."

CTV News reached out to DTI for an update on Wednesday, but did not hear back by deadline.

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