A. Murray MacKay Bridge
The A. Murray MacKay Bridge, known locally as "the new bridge", is a suspension bridge linking the Halifax Peninsula with Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and opened on July 10, 1970. It is one of two suspension bridges crossing Halifax Harbour. Its counterpart, the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, was completed in 1955. The bridge carries on average 52,000 vehicle crossings per day, and is part of Nova Scotia Highway 111.
A. Murray MacKay Bridge | |
|---|---|
MacKay Bridge as viewed from Halifax | |
| Coordinates | 44.6778°N 63.6119°W |
| Carries | Motor vehicles |
| Crosses | Halifax Harbour |
| Maintained by | Halifax Harbour Bridges |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Suspension bridge |
| Total length | 1,200 metres (3,937 ft) |
| Height | 96 metres (315 ft) |
| Longest span | 426 metres (1,398 ft) |
| Clearance below | 46.9 metres (153.9 ft) |
| No. of lanes | 4 |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Canadian Bridge Division |
| Construction start | 29 June 1967 |
| Opened | 10 July 1970 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 66,000 (2012) |
As of January 3, 2022, the toll charge to cross for regular passenger vehicles is $1.25 cash, or $1.00 with the Macpass electronic toll system. Larger vehicles have higher tolls proportional to the number of axles. The Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission is exploring the idea of moving entirely to electronic tolls to avoid handling tokens or cash. The A. Murray MacKay Bridge is the only harbour bridge that permits semi-trailers and large trucks. Pedestrians and bicycles are not permitted on the A. Murray MacKay Bridge; they may instead use dedicated lanes on the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge.