Environmental assessment is set to start for a bridge which will prevent a remote part of Canada from being regularly cut off by road. Draft terms of reference were issued last week for the assessment of Mackenzie River Bridge in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Vehicles currently drive over the frozen river in winter and use a ferry service in warmer weather. But there is no access by road when the ice starts to break up, leaving communities dependent on air-lifted supplies. The US$41.5 million project, promoted by Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, involves construction of a 1.045km steel and concrete composite bridge with nine continuous spans.