[MonctonRad]

New bridge to clear path for completion of N.B. tourist attraction
The Canadian Press

ST. MARTINS, N.B. - For now it's a bridge to nowhere, but New Brunswick officials say a new span near the Bay of Fundy coast clears the last hurdle toward completion of a massive tourism project that has been more than two decades in the making.
The bridge over Big Salmon River officially opens Saturday, launching the second phase of the Fundy Trail Parkway - a road and trail system that winds its way along the scenic Bay of Fundy coastline.

The $11-million bridge allows for work to begin on the remaining roadway to link St. Martins with Fundy National Park and the Hopewell Rocks.

Tourism and Parks Minister Stuart Jamieson says completing the huge project is like trying to eat an elephant, one bite at a time.

The current 11 kilometres of Fundy Trail attracts visitors from around the world, and Jamieson says he expects the number of tourists will increase dramatically once the parkway is completed in another five or six years.

The trail is expected to generate about $25 million in tourism revenue annually once it's completed.