The Jordan River Trail Bridge will be undergoing major construction over the coming summer and fall months as it is scheduled to be replaced with a new bridge that will accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, and off highway vehicles.
The design-build tender for the new bridge was awarded to Timber Restoration Services for a total cost of $3,213,348. They will be replacing the old steel bridge with a new timber bridge and rehabilitating the piers and abutments. Owner’s Engineer Services are being provided throughout the project by DesignPoint Engineering for a total cost of $97,470, which brings the total project cost to $3,310,818.
The project is being funded by the Municipality of Shelburne (Gas Tax) $535,818, Province of Nova Scotia $1,832,390, ACOA $642,610, and the Off Highway Vehicle Infrastructure Fund $300,000. It is scheduled to be completed by December of this year. The new bridge will provide a key connection in the local and regional trail system, benefiting Shelburne and the surrounding areas.
Update July 27, 2026
The bridge superstructure has been completely removed leaving the two piers, which will be rehabilitated along with the abutments. The new timber bridge will be fabricated off site then transported and installed in three sections. Design Point Engineering, the Municipality’s Owner Engineer for the project, has provided this photo that shows the crane pads that were constructed with environmental protection.
Update July 8, 2026
Work has started on the bridge project that includes widening of the trail on the east side of the bridge and the installation of a pad by the bridge entrance to accommodate a crane. The decking and timbers have been removed from the bridge with the steel parts remaining, to be removed in sections with the crane once it is on site. A crane pad will also be installed on the west side of the bridge to remove the steel section on that end. Following the complete removal of the old bridge, the piers and abutments will undergo rehabilitation.