The mayor of Sicamous is hoping for an update this week on a Trans-Canada Highway project worth nearly a quarter-billion dollars.

Terry Rysz says he hasn’t had an update on the Bruhn Bridge replacement project since late in 2018, but says he’s expecting to talk with the Ministry of Transportation today.

“There’s no indication that it’s high on the radar on this particular stage. There seems to be some sort of hold-back on it. But not necessarily do we have clarity. Possibly, the Ministry of Transportation has intentions of getting at it quicker than expected, but at this particular time we’re not quite sure where we’re at with it.”

He says the exact impact COVID-19 could have on the project is not clear, but says the pandemic is sure to have “tremendous consequences” on the province, national and international economies.

“It’s hard to say how this is going to impact projects like the Bruhn Bridge. So I don’t know where we’re at with it right now, but at this particular stage nothing is happening on it. And we don’t see it anywhere on the near horizon when it comes to them getting shovels on the ground.”

The project to widen the bridge was first announced in the fall of 2018, for a cost of $224.5 million, and construction was supposed to start in 2020 or 2021. In December 2018, the province said it finalized a five-lane design for the project.

According to the Ministry of Transportation website, the project is still in the design phase. NL News also reached out to MoT staff yesterday for more information.