Macdonald Bridge in Halifax (19191320333) · Lars Plougmann · CC BY-SA 2.0 · edited
The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge between Halifax and Dartmouth is closed to all traffic, including pedestrians and cyclists, from 8 p.m. Friday, October 2 until 5:30 a.m. Monday, October 5, Halifax Harbour Bridges says. Crews are taking down the overhead platform and sidewalk shed used for repainting and repairs on the bridge’s Halifax main tower.
The closure lands on a busy weekend in the city, with a Halifax Tides game on Saturday, the Wine Fair, the Halifax Fall Home Show, the Bluenose Ghost Festival and the CIBC Run for the Cure on the calendar, CTV News reports. Drivers are being sent to the MacKay Bridge, where a ramp closure is already in place.
- What: Macdonald Bridge closed to cars, pedestrians and cyclists.
- When: 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2 to 5:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 5, local time.
- Why: removal of work platforms after Project LifeSpan tower repairs.
- Driving alternative: the MacKay Bridge, with the Massachusetts Avenue ramp still closed.
- Walkers and cyclists: up to four free Halifax Transit tickets per person.
Macdonald Bridge Closure Hours and Reopening
The bridge shut at 8 p.m. local time on Friday and is scheduled to reopen at 5:30 a.m. on Monday, October 5, according to Halifax Harbour Bridges. That is 7 p.m. Friday to 4:30 a.m. Monday Eastern Time. For the whole weekend there is no crossing on the Macdonald by car, on foot or by bike, which makes this closure harder to work around than the overnight lane closures the bridge has seen in recent months.
Halifax Harbour Bridges says crews are dismantling the overhead platform and sidewalk shed that were used to complete work on the Halifax Main Tower. That project, part of the long running Project LifeSpan program, involved blasting off decades of old paint, inspections and repairs, and applying a three coat protective system meant to protect the steel for decades. Work on the Dartmouth Main Tower was completed last season, and the bridge operator says it will use the closure to finish other work as needed.
Using the MacKay Bridge This Weekend
With the Macdonald closed, the A. Murray MacKay Bridge is the only harbour bridge open to drivers. The Massachusetts Avenue ramp from the MacKay toward Robie Street and downtown Halifax remains closed for the Windsor Street Exchange project. Halifax Harbour Bridges and the municipality advise drivers heading from the MacKay toward Robie Street and downtown to use Windsor Street and Young Street, or Barrington Street, and to follow posted detour signs.
Spokesperson Steve Proctor told CTV News there will be extra tow truck coverage, more bridge patrols and an operations centre watching about 120 cameras to keep the MacKay moving. He said the operator looked for the least disruptive weekend and that “there was no good day to close a bridge.”
Expect heavier traffic than usual, particularly around event start and finish times, and allow extra travel time on any trip across the harbour.
Free Halifax Transit Tickets for Walkers and Cyclists
Because the closure includes the bridge’s walkway and bike lane, Halifax Harbour Bridges is handing out free Halifax Transit tickets to pedestrians and cyclists. The limit is four tickets per person. They can be picked up around the clock only at the Operations Centre in the Macdonald Bridge Administration Building, 125 Wyse Road, Dartmouth. Pickup began on September 28, so the tickets are available throughout the closure.
Check Halifax Transit’s weekend bus and ferry schedules before you set out, since weekend service can be less frequent than on weekdays. If you are staying downtown in Halifax and planning a day in Dartmouth, or the reverse, build the extra time into your plans rather than counting on a quick walk across the harbour.
Weekend Events and Visitor Plans in Halifax
Visitors in town this weekend are most likely to feel the closure on cross harbour trips. CTV News lists a Halifax Tides game on Saturday along with the Wine Fair, the Fall Home Show, the Bluenose Ghost Festival and the CIBC Run for the Cure. Heather Mulligan of the Canadian Cancer Society told CTV that participants in the run were expected to factor delays into their arrival.
If you are driving in from the Dartmouth side for an event, leave earlier than usual and plan your route to the MacKay in advance.
Halifax Harbour Bridges can be reached at (902) 463-2800 or [email protected] for questions about the closure. Any change to the reopening time would come from the bridge operator, so check its news page before an early Monday crossing.
| If you are | What to do |
|---|---|
| Driving between Halifax and Dartmouth | Use the MacKay Bridge and allow extra time. |
| Heading downtown from the MacKay | Use Windsor and Young streets or Barrington Street. |
| Walking or cycling across | Collect up to four free transit tickets at 125 Wyse Road. |
| Attending a weekend event | Leave early and plan for heavier traffic. |
| Crossing early Monday | The Macdonald is scheduled to reopen at 5:30 a.m. |
No Macdonald crossing. Closed to all traffic until 5:30 a.m. Monday.
MacKay is the drive route. Its Massachusetts Avenue ramp stays closed.
Free tickets. Pedestrians and cyclists can get up to four.
When does the Macdonald Bridge reopen?
Halifax Harbour Bridges says it reopens at 5:30 a.m. on Monday, October 5, 2026.
Can pedestrians and cyclists use the Macdonald Bridge this weekend?
No. The closure covers all traffic, including pedestrians and cyclists.
Where can I get free Halifax Transit tickets?
At the Operations Centre, Macdonald Bridge Administration Building, 125 Wyse Road, Dartmouth, any time, up to four per person.
Is the MacKay Bridge open?
Yes, but its Massachusetts Avenue ramp toward Robie Street and downtown Halifax remains closed.
