Pattullo Bridge replacement

Last updated

Pattullo Bridge replacement
Pattullo Bridge replacement (2025).jpg
Construction nearing the final span in 2025
Coordinates 49°12′29″N122°53′33″W / 49.20806°N 122.89250°W / 49.20806; -122.89250 (Pattullo Bridge replacement)
CarriesFour lanes of British Columbia Highway 1A/99A, pedestrians and bicycles
Crosses Fraser River
Locale New Westminster
Surrey
Owner TransLink
Characteristics
Design Cable-stayed bridge
Total length332 metres (1,089 ft) (main span) [1]
History
Construction startApril 1, 2021
OpeningLate 2025 (scheduled) [2]
Location
Pattullo Bridge replacement

The Pattullo Bridge replacement is a cable-stayed bridge under construction since 2021 that is scheduled to open in late 2025. It crosses the Fraser River and links the cities of New Westminster and Surrey in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Contents

On July 31, 2008, TransLink opted to replace the Pattullo Bridge, rather than refurbish the aging structure. [3] In June 2014, the Metro Vancouver Mayors' Council determined that the existing structure would be demolished and replaced with a new, four-lane bridge. [4] Construction was expected to take place between 2019 and 2023, with $1.3 billion in funding finalized in 2018. [5] [6] On April 1, 2021, construction began on the replacement bridge with an expected opening in 2024. [7] In 2024, it was expected to open in late 2025. [8]

The name of the new bridge, which will be in Halkomelem, will be chosen jointly by the Musqueam First Nation and the Kwantlen First Nation. [9]

Design

The Pattullo Bridge has a number of issues including not being seismically sound, having narrow lanes, and lacking barriers separating opposing traffic or pedestrians and cyclists. This created the need for a replacement. [10]

The new bridge is designed with four lanes of traffic but can be expanded to six lanes in the future. The city of New Westminster supported a four-lane design, while the city of Surrey supported six lanes. [11]

The bridge will also feature artwork by Kwantlen First Nation artist q̓ʷɑt̓ic̓ɑ (Phyllis Atkins). [9]

History

A key link between Surrey and the rest of Greater Vancouver, the predecessor Pattullo Bridge carried an average of 75,700 cars and 3,840 trucks daily in 2013, representing about 20% of Fraser River vehicle traffic. [12]

In June 2014, the Metro Vancouver Mayors' Council determined that the existing Pattullo Bridge would be demolished and replaced with a new, four-lane, tolled replacement bridge. [4] Construction was expected to take place between 2019 and 2023, with the $1.3 billion funding finalized in 2018. [5] [6] It was later decided not to have tolls for the bridge. [10]

On January 3, 2020, the government of British Columbia awarded a contract to Fraser Crossing Partners a joint venture between Acciona Infrastructure Canada and Aecon Group to design and construct the new bridge. The contract also included new road connections at the bridgeheads in New Westminster and Surrey. [13]

In February 2021, contractors began installing piles to form the foundation of the bridge tower. This work was temporarily suspended to protect fish habitat. [14]

In the second quarter of 2025, the main span was successfully connected to the south approach, creating a continuous deck into Surrey. [15] By mid-2025, crews were installing barriers, utilities, and expansion joints, with paving scheduled for later in third quarter. [16]

The project budget is CA$1.637 billion, managed by the Transportation Investment Corporation under British Columbia's Community Benefits Agreement. [17] Once the new bridge opens, the existing Pattullo Bridge, built in 1937, will be removed. [18]

See also

References

  1. "Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project Report – Project Summary" (PDF). Infrastructure BC. January 2025. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  2. "Pattullo Bridge Replacement Monthly Status Report – May 2025" (PDF). Transportation Investment Corporation. May 2025. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  3. "New tolled Pattullo Bridge gets green light". CBC News. July 31, 2008. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "2014 Mayors' Council Report on Regional Transportation" (PDF). TransLink. June 2014. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project: Community Connections" (PDF). TransLink. June 13, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  6. 1 2 McElroy, Justin (February 16, 2018). "B.C. government to build replacement for Pattullo Bridge". CBC News. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  7. Chan, Kenneth (April 1, 2021). "New Pattullo Bridge construction underway, but opening pushed to 2024". DailyHive. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  8. Burns, Anna (May 25, 2024). "Pattullo Bridge replacement delayed again, now projected to open in 2025". Peace Arch News. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  9. 1 2 Chan, Kenneth. "New Pattullo Bridge to be renamed with new First Nations name in the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language". DailyHive. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  10. 1 2 "Project Overview". Pattullo Bridge Replacement. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  11. McManus, Theresa. "New West mayor-elect: Too soon to consider 6-lane replacement for Pattullo Bridge". New West Record. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  12. "Pattullo Bridge Perspective". City of New Westminster. March 5, 2014. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  13. "BC government selects contractor for new $1.4-billion Pattullo Bridge". DailyHive. January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  14. "Monthly Status Report – February 2021" (PDF). Pattullo Bridge Replacement. April 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  15. "Pattullo Bridge Construction Update – Main Deck Connected". Fraser Valley News. April 18, 2025. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  16. "Summer 2025 Project Update" (PDF). Pattullo Bridge Replacement. June 2025. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  17. "Pattullo Bridge Replacement Monthly Status Report – May 2025" (PDF). Transportation Investment Corporation. May 2025. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  18. "Existing Bridge Removal Plan" (PDF). Transportation Investment Corporation. May 2025. Retrieved August 26, 2025.