THE CONFEDERATION BRIDGE - ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS RELATED TO ICE

The paper identifies and discusses the principal environmental concern s derived from possible effects that the new Confederation Bridge woul d have on the ice regime in Northumberland Strait. The methods by whic h these impacts were analysed, and the results and conclusions derived from these analyses, are discussed. It was concluded that, although t he bridge piers will occasionally interfere with ice motion, season-lo ng effects, such as delays to the date of last ice, would be minimal. As part of the bridge was constructed in 1995, there was an opportunit y to carry out observations, during the following winter, which aided in the understanding of the interactions between the ice cover and the bridge piers. The results from these observations are also discussed in the paper. These observations have tended to confirm the initial an alyses.