Award-winning engineering: MacKay bridge redecking earns national recognition

One of the many ongoing efforts to revitalize the iconic MacKay Bridge was recognized Thursday night with a prestigious national honour at the 2024 Canadian Consulting Engineer Awards.

The MacKay deck replacement project won an Award of Excellence in the transportation category, highlighting it as  one of the most remarkable feats of engineering by a Canadian firm in 2023.

Last November, the 54-year-old MacKay Bridge was closed for two weekends to allow for the replacement of two 10,000-kilogram steel deck sections, which had shown signs of cracking during routine inspections. This intricate operation required a 100-tonne crane that spanned nearly the entire width of the bridge.

The detailed design and structural analysis were led locally COWI on behalf of Halifax Harbour Bridges’ (HHB) consulting engineer.   Exemplifying both Halifax Harbour Bridges and COWI’s commitment to developing local technical knowledge, over 90 per cent of the engineering hours were performed by staff living and working in the Halifax area and rely on the MacKay bridge as local residents.

“We are gratified to have played a key role in extending the useful service life of the MacKay Bridge and grateful for the recognition from the Canadian Consulting Engineer and the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies,” said Dillon Betts, COWI’s engineer of record for the project after receiving following the award in Ottawa.

This award represents Canada’s most prestigious national mark of recognition in engineering and highlights our dedication to innovation, technical excellence, and the positive impact of work in Canadian communities.

Tony Wright, CEO of HHB, emphasized the significance of the project: “There’s never a convenient time to close one of our bridges, but this award highlights that when we do, it’s part of a carefully crafted plan executed by the best team available.”

The A. Murray MacKay Bridge has connected Halifax and Dartmouth since 1970. It is a crucial transportation link, with 65,000 crossing daily. The bridge also plays a vital role in the local economy, supporting over 1,000 jobs and generating more than $120 million in economic benefits annually.