At 11:30 pm, November 19, 1996, the final structural element for the Confederation Bridge was set in place by the HLV Svanen. With the placement of this component, the 12.9 kilometre Confederation Bridge physically connects the province of Prince Edward Island with mainland New Brunswick for the first time.
"The placement of this component marks a very significant moment for the thousands of people who have worked so hard to make this project a reality," said Paul Giannelia, Project Director for Strait Crossing. "We have successfully bridged the Northumberland Strait with one of the longest continuous multi-span bridges in the world which will now bridge a nation for more than one hundred years. I wish to congratulate everyone in both labour and management who have met this challenge."
Under the terms of Prince Edward Island's entry into Confederation in 1873, the Government of Canada is obligated to provide continuous and efficient year-round transportation for people, goods and services between Prince Edward Island and the mainland.
Upon completion, the Confederation Bridge will carry two lanes of traffic, 24 hours a day. It will take approximately 12 minutes to cross the bridge at normal operating speeds providing an unprecedented level of service and accessibility between Prince Edward Island and the mainland.
This year, Strait Crossing successfully completed the New Brunswick Inshore Approach Bridge and placed the remaining 151 main bridge components -- over 11 kilometres of bridge -- in the Northumberland Strait in slightly more than 200 days. Strait Crossing has begun bridge finishing work which includes items such as the guardrail and lighting systems.