Here's what you need to know about the Bridge of Nations construction in Sudbury

A major thoroughfare in the centre of downtown Greater Sudbury is reduced to one lane for the next seven months.

The Bridge of Nations on Paris Street was built in 1973 and the city said it’s time for major upgrades.

Work along the 50-year-old bridge will be underway until October 31.

The city said work on the bottom part has been going since August 2022, but now crews are turning their attention to the top side.

"Right now, there’s a 1.5 meter sidewalk on each side. So, we’re going to add a 1.5 meter bike lane to the platform and then we’ll have a barrier curb and two lanes on each side," road engineer Stephen Holmes said.

"So we’re narrowing the median a little bit and the travelled lanes will be a little narrower."

Previously, work was completed on the bridge in the 1990s and early 2000s.

This time around, the project is estimated to cost around $7.9 million.

"That would include construction contingencies and, right now, we’re still expecting to remain within that budget," Holmes said.

During the project, traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction with work beginning on the downtown end of the bridge.

The city is asking for everyone’s patience through the lane closure period, especially during peak hours of traffic and if you can, consider alternate routes.

"Merge using the 'zipper' technique, it’s much more efficient than just remaining in one lane for a relatively long distance," Holmes said.