{"id":53078,"date":"2025-03-17T22:06:56","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T01:06:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelaker.ca\/?p=53078"},"modified":"2025-03-17T22:06:56","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T01:06:56","slug":"photos-video-n-s-removes-tolls-from-macdonald-mackay-bridges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/?p=53078","title":{"rendered":"PHOTOS\/VIDEO: N.S. removes tolls from Macdonald, MacKay bridges"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;235&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;148&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>DARTMOUTH:<\/strong> After 70 years, motorists no longer have to pay a bridge toll to cross between Dartmouth and Halifax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The province ended bridge tolls today, March 17, fulfilling a commitment to make crossings more affordable, simpler and smoother for Nova Scotians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPaying tolls to use our highways and bridges is now a thing of the past for Nova Scotians,\u201d said Public Works Ministerial Assistant Tim Outhit, on behalf of Minister Fred Tilley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDrivers deserve a commute that costs less and an easier way to get to and from work every day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ADVERTISEMENT:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate group=&#8221;6&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;31&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the weekend, crews removed the toll plaza at the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Work will continue in the evenings and next weekend to complete the transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Work to remove the A. Murray MacKay Bridge toll plaza will start on Friday, March 28, and continue on evenings and weekends for about three weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People should drive with caution when crossing the bridges to avoid workers and construction equipment and because lane alignments have changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ADVERTISEMENT:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;105&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;236&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A media event was held on March 17 on the toll booth and tolls removal at the Macdonald Bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Laker News was there to cover it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is our video story, as sponsored by Joanne Pullin of eXp Realty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Video shot by Matt Dagley:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"VIDEO STORY: Toll booths, tolls removed at Macdonald Bridge\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pdNtlzEcXDg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ADVERTISEMENT:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;71&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;126&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/03-fire-a-coin-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-53119\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">MLA Tim Outhit does a throwing motion as he describes what he and others did when younger going through the tolls throwing their quarter hoping to hit the basket. (Dagley Media photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/104-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-53123\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pat interviews the Macpass mascot as they wave a retirement sign to passerbys at the Macdonald Bridge. (Dagley Media photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/089-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-53122\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">There was cake to celebrate the occasion. (Dagley Media photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ADVERTISEMENT:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;54&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;192&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Quotes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs stewards of Halifax\u2019s harbour crossings, we are proud to usher in this new chapter in their history. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Our mission has always been to provide safe, efficient and reliable transportation, and this marks another significant step forward in that commitment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2014 <em>Tony Wright, CEO, Halifax Harbour Bridges<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Quick Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; more than 200,000 Nova Scotians have MACPASS accounts, and balances will be refunded in the coming weeks<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More information about the toll removal is available at: <a href=\"https:\/\/can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhalifaxharbourbridges.ca%2Fnews%2Fa-new-chapter-in-hhb-history-tolls-coming-off-halifax-harbour-bridges%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccomns-release.provincewide%40lists.gov.ns.ca%7C6bf4dbc25359464d435c08dd655c6e88%7C8eb23313ce754345a56a297a2412b4db%7C0%7C0%7C638778169837579329%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=iTSWRMcyC%2FLHlFMliysAVKj1iDz%2FgebnMsQT0NHGTk8%3D&amp;reserved=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/halifaxharbourbridges.ca\/news\/a-new-chapter-in-hhb-history-tolls-coming-off-halifax-harbour-bridges\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0110-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-53117\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">HHB CEO Tony Wright speaks to media. (Dagley Media photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/049-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-53120\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The toll booths being removed. (Province of Nova Scotia photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/029-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-53118\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Heading into Dartmouth from the Halifax side of the Macdonald Bridge there&#8217;s no toll booths setup anymore. (Dagley Media photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;188&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;92&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;235&#8243;] [adrotate banner=&#8221;148&#8243;] DARTMOUTH: After 70 years, motorists no longer have to pay a bridge toll to cross between Dartmouth and Halifax. The province ended bridge tolls today, March 17, fulfilling a commitment to make crossings more affordable, simpler and smoother for Nova Scotians. \u201cPaying tolls to use our highways and bridges is now [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":53121,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,957],"tags":[528,7979,185,50,6426,7826,7980,2517,1635,7981,2423],"class_list":["post-53078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-news","tag-bedford","tag-bridge-toll-removal","tag-dartmouth","tag-halifax","tag-halifax-harbour-bridges","tag-hhb","tag-macdonald-bridge","tag-premier-tim-houston","tag-tim-outhit","tag-toll-booth-removal","tag-tolls"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53078","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=53078"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53078\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/53121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=53078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=53078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=53078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}