Kettle Island bridge idea revived in federal government’s fall economic statement [Video]

The federal government’s fall economic statement says the government is announcing its commitment to building a new bridge over the Ottawa River to connect Ottawa and Gatineau, reviving a controversial proposal that faced major public backlash more than 10 years ago.

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“This commitment for the project known as the ‘Eastern Bridge’ enables the next phase of planning, including the impact assessment, design, preliminary site preparation, and a procurement strategy,” the document says.

The proposed bridge would cross Kettle Island in the Ottawa River to connect the Aviation Parkway in Ottawa to Montée Paiement in Gatineau.

A 2013 National Capital Commission (NCC) study into ideal corridors for the proposed crossing looked at Kettle Island, Lower Duck Island, and McLaurin Bay as options. The Kettle Island option, also known as “Corridor 5”, was the technically preferred option.

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