Eureka Mills Bridge receives major makeover

“Communities are completely divided without bridges,” said Chester Dewer, the Municipality of Pictou County councillor for District 12, which includes the newly opened Eureka Mills Bridge.

For the past six months, local, family-run company Balodis Inc. has been working to complete the important project.

“We couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” said co-owner Brandon Balodis.

Balodis, as well as his brother who he runs the company with, lives within the direct community. He described the project at his shortest commute ever. While it may have been an easy commute, the project itself required a lot of work. The most challenging part, according to Balodis, was transporting the large girders, or support beams. The $3.5-million project has five concrete girders, each weighing about 62,500 kilograms.

The sharp turns of the Stellarton roundabout was the most difficult leg of the journey, which Balodis said was made significantly easier with the assistance of the Stellarton police officers that assisted.

Six months later, thanks to 12 different machines and a crew of workers, the Eureka Mills Bridge went from a single lane, deteriorating wooden structure to a double lane connector with sidewalk space for walkers, runners and other community members to safely cross the West Branch East River.

“Everybody was very patient. It was a great spot to work,” said Balodis.

From growing up in the community to helping improve it years later, the bridge represents a full circle moment. It’s the first of many improvements part of the government’s plans to improve communities like this one.

“We’re committed to getting things done,” said Premier Tim Houston. “The history and character of that old bridge is something we’ll remember … 134 or 135 years of memories.”

The original 37-metre bridge, built in 1887, was closed as it reached the end of its serviceable life. Drivers of the roughly 400 vehicles that cross the bridge daily had a 15-kilometre detour until the new 38-metre bridge opened last month.

Since the county suffered long lasting effects from hurricane Fiona, it has shown how important infrastructure really is.

“All of our infrastructure is going to have to be a whole lot stronger,” said Pictou County Warden Robert Parker. “We have to strengthen our infrastructure.”

According to the province, the new bridge consists of 26,000 kilograms of reinforced steel, 350 cubic metres of concrete and reinforcement bars that would span 15 kilometres.