The Halifax Regional Municipality has a plan for recycling the pedestrian and bike lanes on Macdonald Bridge.

The lanes will be taken down during a major construction project planned for 2015. Halifax Harbour Bridges, which oversees the two bridges spanning the harbour, is looking for someone to take them.

While a few salvage companies may be interested in the metal, HRM sent in a proposal to get some of those bridge decks for free. It wants to use them to build crossings to connect important walking routes throughout the region.

"The one we're focusing on now is the CN main line across the peninsula. There are a number of road overpasses but there are some fairly long stretches where there isn't an ability to cross," said David McCusker, a transportation planner with HRM.

Coun. Darren Fisher knows of another spot for those old deck panels.

"It could potentially be used over the deep cut on the part of the Rocky Lake trail. You'd be able to go all the way from Rocky Lake to Dartmouth Crossing right through Shubie Park," Fisher said.

HRM officials hope to hear back soon, particularly because they plan to apply for a provincial grant of $100,000 to help design some of the new bridges along the walking trails.

The bridge commission's request for proposals closed at the end of November. It said it was interested in proposals that included reusing the panels.