FORT SIMPSON - With the snip of a pair of gold coloured scissors on a blue ribbon, the Martin River bridge was officially opened on July 21.

Ends of a ribbon fall away from MLA Kevin Menicoche as he makes the cut to officially open the Martin River bridge. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Kevin Menicoche, minister of transportation, opened the bridge during a ceremony at the structure, attended by approximately 15 people from Fort Simpson.

"It's a unique Northern piece of infrastructure," said Menicoche.

He said that the bridge was built in the North and installed by Rowe's Construction, a Northern company.

The new bridge replaces the original structure that was installed in 1989. The change was made to increase public safety because more vehicles are travelling on Highway 1 and over the bridge that is located just outside of Fort Simpson, said Menicoche.

The bridge has a number of features that are designed to improve safety and accommodate the increased level of traffic.

The new bridge is 66 metres long, approximately 20 metres longer than the previous structure. It's also 1.5 metres wider.

The ramps on both sides of the bridge are also built so traffic approaches the structure straighter, creating a better line of sight.

"I'm just happy to have one of the new bridges installed here," Menicoche said.

The ribbon cutting ceremony was a formality. The bridge has been open for traffic since the beginning of June after the appropriate road signs were installed.

Not everyone is as happy with the effects of the new structure.

The bridge is situated higher than the previous structure with steep banks on either side of the access ramps.

While creating the ramps for the structure, the access road to the Martin River and the beach and picnic area were destroyed.

Both Menicoche and Michel Lafrance, the regional superintendent of transportation, said while they haven't received any comments on the bridge, they've had many phone calls about the access.

"The people would like to have their access back down to the beach," said Lafrance.

Lafrance said that the Department of Transportation is working together with Rowe's Construction to see if some measure of access can be reestablished to the river.

A final stage of the process also remains.

The original bridge has to be removed from its location. The move is expected to be done before the winter, said Lafrance.

The bridge will be refurbished and might be used on Shale Creek, which is also on the highway to Wrigley, said Menicoche.

Portable bridges have previously been moved along the Mackenzie winter road between Wrigley and Coville Lake but this will be the first time in the Northwest Territories that such a large bridge has been relocated and reused.