P.E.I. bridges reopening after storm

Bridges are reopening on P.E.I as the province starts to recover from the storm that battered Eastern Canada this week.

By Thursday evening, the Corran Ban Bridge was open, while the Lennox Island Bridge and Springbrook Bridge were open to two lanes of traffic, the Department of Transportation said.

The Oyster Bed Bridge on Route 6 remained closed until further notice, the department said.

The Confederation Bridge between P.E.I. and New Brunswick has been allowing all traffic to cross since 8 a.m. Thursday. The bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles, motorcycles and cars pulling trailers, twice this week, for 33 hours in total. 

The bridge — which remained open during Hurricane Earl in September — was also closed to all vehicles for about two hours Monday.

Beaches affected

Storm damage at Prince Edward Island National Park has resulted in closure to the public of Brackley Beach, Shaws Beach and the Cavendish main beach.

It will cost more than $100,000 to repair the damage, said Bill Courtney, asset manager for the field unit of Parks Canada on P.E.I.

"This was an unusual storm, but we do take measures each fall to get ready for the winter,"  Courtney said.

The stairs and ramp of the dune crossing at Brackley Beach installed this summer had already been removed and stored on land.

"They're safe," he said. "But the structure that remains crossing the dunes, it was damaged because the dune lost about 10 feet. So no, we haven't budgeted for these kinds of things. They can't be predicted and they really can't be budgeted for."

National park staff are warning people to stay away from the surf.

Robinson's Island Road, a major road in the park, is also closed because of erosion.