Big Lift continues on the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge
Halifax Harbour Bridges expect the bridge will be open as planned Monday at 5:30 a.m.
Crews are continuing to work to replace the deck panels of the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge but officials say they are still on schedule.
Halifax Harbour Bridges managed to remove the old deck panel and lower it to a barge underneath the bridge Saturday.
On Sunday, the work is focused on lifting the new deck panel into place — a process that is expected to take about two hours.
Alison Macdonald, spokeswoman for Halifax Harbour Bridges, says once the panels are in place it will take another 10 hours to make all the necessary attachments.
"This is very methodical work that's been planned for six years, they've done table top exercises over the last little while to go over every detail and now it's putting everything into practice," she said.
The new deck panel — which weighs more than 100 tons — was expected to go up Saturday, but was delayed because the removal of the old deck panel took longer than expected.
New bridge panel getting close to deck level. Lift took a little more than an hour but lots of work left up top. <a href="http://t.co/O4tGcB0cSm">pic.twitter.com/O4tGcB0cSm</a>
—@PaulRPalmeter"They had to get around the tower with lowering the first deck segment, so there's a learning that's going on and there's just no rush," said Macdonald.
The original schedule had the first deck replacement taking 30 hours, but she says there was more time available this weekend to get the job done.
Halifax Harbour Bridges says despite the delays, the Macdonald bridge remains on track to re-open Monday at 5:30 a.m. for rush hour traffic.