Last Thursday, elected officials and the public gathered to celebrate the re-opening of the Félix-Gabriel Marchand Bridge in Mansfield. The iconic red covered bridge is the second longest in Quebec, but has been closed for years due to its condition.

Following the press conference, CHIP 101.9 spoke with Pontiac MNA André Fortin, to talk about the long-standing file:

Pontiac Warden Jane Toller was also at the press conference and said she was elated that it could finally be reopened to the public. Prior to her election, Toller spearheaded a petition to have the bridge repaired:

The bridge is named in memory of Félix-Gabriel Marchand (1832-1900), a politician and man of letters who was the premier of Quebec (1897-1900) when the bridge was constructed. In 2014, following a collapse of the structure, the Quebec Ministry of Transport had to close it completely. Following a petition advocating for the conservation of this one-of-a-kind bridge, the department undertook major repairs in 2018.

The repairs for this heritage structure were extremely complex, consisting of reinforcing and straightening the structure, replacing the roof and paneling, rebuilding the deck and replacing certain damaged or deficient parts. The Department has carried out additional work to raise the bridge, which will help preserve the integrity of the structure during any spring flooding.

In a press release the Ministry of transport stated that the total investment in the bridge amounted to roughly $7 million.