Westham Island Bridge

Last updated

Westham Island Bridge
Westham island bridge.jpg
Westham Island Bridge, looking northward.
Coordinates 49°04′50″N123°07′44″W / 49.080423°N 123.128865°W / 49.080423; -123.128865
CarriesWestham Island Road
CrossesCanoe Pass
Locale Delta, British Columbia
Owner TransLink
Maintained byMainroads Contracting
Characteristics
Total length325 m
Height4.38 m
History
OpenedDecember 1909
Location
Westham Island Bridge

The Westham Island Bridge, which is a single-lane, wood-deck truss bridge over Canoe Pass near the mouth of the Fraser River, connects Westham Island with the Delta mainland, in Metro Vancouver.

Contents

Original ferry

In 1882, the British Union (BU) and the British American (BA) canneries opened at Canoe Pass. [1] Sufficient school age children existed to justify the erection of a schoolhouse and opening of a school in the 1883/84 year. [2] Largely catering to non-resident cannery workers, Paul Swenson operated a ferry for 15 years, but received no government subsidy. The precise period is unclear, but the mid-1880s to early 1900s seems most likely. [3] The BA operated a ferry during the following years. [4] However, island farmers made other shipping arrangements, because the ferry did not transport livestock. [5]

Original bridge

The reopening of the school for the 1909 year [6] indicates a reversal of a dip in student numbers, probably reflecting an increase in the island general population. This may have been a factor in choosing the bridge over ferry option. The design comprised three 19-metre (63 ft) king trusses, a 31-metre (103 ft) howe truss, a 37-metre (123 ft) howe truss, and a 43-metre (140 ft) steel swing span. [7] The bridge opened to traffic in December 1909, but the official opening was March 1910. [5] Efforts to prevent scouring [8] ultimately proved unsuccessful. By 1922, the structure was condemned as unstable, and a ferry was temporarily reintroduced. [9]

Beyond the ongoing maintenance, the first major rebuild was in 1924/25, when a 30-metre (100 ft) and a 37-metre (120 ft) howe truss and three piers were replaced. Two of the piers comprised a cluster of 75 34-metre (110 ft) wooden piles. [10] Pile trestle and steel I-beams replaced three king trusses in 1937/38. [11]

The bridge tender (operator) received a new cabin and housing improvements in 1942/43. [12] A temporary ferry service operated from March 1951, [13] while the whole bridge was rebuilt except for the steel swing span. [14]

In August 1969, a tug pulling a barge took out a 49-metre (160 ft) howe truss. A barge ferry provided service until a bailey bridge was floated into place five days later. [15] In 1971/72, a Callender-Hamilton steel span with timber decking replaced the bailey bridge. [16]

In the late 1990s, a wooden fence was added along both sides of the bridge. [5]

Major rehabilitation in 2019 required brief closures. [17] Only one superstructure span continues to be of wood construction, although its beams have been replaced over the years. The planks forming the decking for the whole bridge have been replaced on a regular basis. The 325-metre (1,066 ft) structure has undergone extensive refitting and alterations over the years. [5]

Operation

Eastward aerial view, Westham Island Bridge, 2014 Westham Island Bridge aerial view.jpg
Eastward aerial view, Westham Island Bridge, 2014

TransLink, the regional transportation authority, has owned the bridge since 1999. A contractor maintains and operates the crossing. The load limit is 50 tons on TransLink's oldest and narrowest bridge, and one of few containing wood components in Metro Vancouver. The swing span is opened about seven or eight times a day to allow the passage mainly of fishing boats but also some pleasure craft. [18] Mainroads Contracting, the franchise holder, operates the span. Marine traffic must call the bridge operator 40 minutes in advance on VHF channel 74. [19]

The bridge was manually swivelled by lifting a steel plate in the deck of the bridge and inserting a 3 m (10 ft) bar into a capstan, and slowly walking around it to open or close the span. The longest tender, who remained 31 years, had lost an arm in World War I. Although the bridge still has this manual capacity, an electric motor has superseded this function. [5]

Importance

The bridge, which is the only land connection between Westham Island and the Delta mainland, provides access to the agricultural enterprises and the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary. [5]

The iconic structure is an occasional site location for film and TV productions. One of the memorable ones was an episode of the X-Files TV series, "Kill Switch". [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oak Street Bridge</span> Bridge in Vancouver-Richmond

The Oak Street Bridge is a crossing over the north arm of the Fraser River, the Canada Line, and several roads, in Metro Vancouver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexandra Bridge Provincial Park</span> Provincial park in British Columbia, Canada

Alexandra Bridge Park lies within the lower Fraser Canyon of British Columbia, Canada. This provincial park is adjacent to the historic suspension bridge from 1926, which spans the Fraser River and was built using the eastern abutment of the bridge from 1863. The locality, on BC Highway 1, is by road about 44 kilometres (27 mi) north of Hope and 65 kilometres (40 mi) south of Lytton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Steele, British Columbia</span> Historic site in British Columbia, Canada

Fort Steele is a heritage site in the East Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. This visitor attraction lies on the east shore of the Kootenay River between the mouths of the St. Mary River and Wild Horse River. The locality, on the merged section of highways 93 and 95, is by road about 17 kilometres (11 mi) northeast of Cranbrook and 230 kilometres (143 mi) southeast of Golden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mission Bridge</span> Bridge on Highway 11 in southwestern British Columbia

The Mission Bridge is a steel and concrete girder bridge across the Fraser River in the Fraser Valley region of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Linking the City Of Mission and the City of Abbotsford, the four-lane structure carries BC Highway 11.

Alexandria or Fort Alexandria was a general area encompassing a trading post, ferry site, and steamboat landing in the North Cariboo region of central British Columbia. The present unincorporated community is on the eastern side of the Fraser River. On BC Highway 97, the locality is by road about 74 kilometres (46 mi) northwest of Williams Lake and 45 kilometres (28 mi) south of Quesnel.

The Duncan River is in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. Entering the North Arm of Kootenay Lake, the river is a major tributary of the Kootenay River, which in turn flows into the Columbia River. The Selkirk Mountains lie to the west and the Purcell Mountains to the east.

The Agassiz–Rosedale Bridge is a cantilever truss bridge across the Fraser River in the Fraser Valley region of southwestern British Columbia. Linking Agassiz with the south shore, the two-lane bridge carrying BC Highway 9 is by road about 36 kilometres (22 mi) west of Hope, 119 kilometres (74 mi) east of Vancouver, and 51 kilometres (32 mi) east of Abbotsford.

The Alexandra Bridge is a steel arch bridge across the Fraser River in the lower Fraser Canyon area of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The two-lane crossing, carrying BC Highway 1, is by road about 44 kilometres (27 mi) north of Hope and 66 kilometres (41 mi) south of Lytton.

Deroche is an unincorporated community at the foot of Nicomen Mountain in the Fraser Valley region of southwestern British Columbia. Encompassing the northeastern part of Nicomen Island, the infrastructure is centred on the northern shore of Nicomen Slough. The locality, on BC Highway 7, is by road about 29 kilometres (18 mi) west of Agassiz, 89 kilometres (55 mi) east of Vancouver, and 21 kilometres (13 mi) east of Mission.

The Usk Ferry operates on the Skeena River at Usk in the Skeena region of west central British Columbia, Canada. The vessel employs reaction ferry propulsion and cable ferry guidance. Off BC Highway 16, the crossing is by road about 182 kilometres (113 mi) west of Smithers and 23 kilometres (14 mi) northeast of Terrace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnston Island Ferry</span> Passenger and vehicle ferry in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia

The Barnston Island Ferry is a ferry that runs across Parson's Channel between Barnston Island and Port Kells, Surrey, in Metro Vancouver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Germansen River</span> River in British Columbia, Canada

The Germansen River is in the Omineca region of central British Columbia, Canada. Flowing through Germansen Lake, the river is a major tributary of the Omenica River, which in turn enters Williston Lake. Surrounded by the spread of the Swannell Ranges, the lake is south of Plughat Mountain and north of the Germansen Range, which contains Mount Germansen.

Firvale is an unincorporated community in the Bella Coola Valley region of west central British Columbia, Canada. On the north shore of the Bella Coola River about 6 kilometres (4 mi) west of the mouth of Burnt Bridge Creek, no link exists to the former centre on the south shore. On BC Highway 20, the locality is by road about 412 kilometres (256 mi) west of Williams Lake and 41 kilometres (25 mi) east of Bella Coola.

A series of ferries and bridges have crossed the Fraser River in the vicinity of Lillooet in the Squamish-Lillooet region of southwestern British Columbia. From the 1850s, these crossings have connected both north–south and local traffic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ladner Ferry</span>

The Ladner Ferry was a crossing of the south arm of the Fraser River in Metro Vancouver, linking Ladner with Richmond. It operated from 1913 until 1959, when it was replaced by the George Massey Tunnel.

The Marpole Bridge (1889–1957), a.k.a. Eburne Bridge, North Arm Bridge, Sea Island Bridge, or Middle Arm Bridge, was consecutive crossings over the north and middle arms of the Fraser River in Metro Vancouver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fraser Street Bridge (1894)</span> Bridge in Sunset-Richmond

The Fraser St. Bridge (1894–1974), also known as the Fraser Ave. Bridge, North Arm Bridge, No. 5 Rd. Bridge, or Twigg Island Bridge, was a crossing over the north arm of the Fraser River in Metro Vancouver.

Shoreacres is an unincorporated community in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. This former ferry landing lies on the northwest shore of the Kootenay River and northeast shore of the Slocan River. The location, on BC Highway 3A, is by road about 20 kilometres (12 mi) northeast of Castlegar, and 24 kilometres (15 mi) southwest of Nelson.

Isle Pierre is a railway point in the Nechako Region of central British Columbia. The scattered community straddles the shores of the Nechako River. The west side, off BC Highway 16, is by road about 55 kilometres (34 mi) west of Prince George and 69 kilometres (43 mi) east of Vanderhoof. The east side is by road about 46 kilometres (29 mi) west of Prince George.

Downie Creek is in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia, Canada. Surrounded by the Selkirk Mountains, the creek is a tributary of Lake Revelstoke, part of the Columbia River. On BC Highway 23, the highway bridge is by road about 69 kilometres (43 mi) north of Revelstoke.

References

  1. ↑ Howay, Frederic William (1914). British Columbia from the earliest times to the present. Vol. II. p. 870 (586) – via library.ubc.ca.
  2. ↑ "Public Schools annual report, 1883–84". library.ubc.ca. p. 8 (152).
  3. ↑ "Delta News". library.ubc.ca. June 13, 1903. p. 1.
  4. ↑ "Delta Times". library.ubc.ca. May 12, 1906. p. 1.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Westham Island Bridge". delta.civicweb.net. June 2009. pp. 3–5.
  6. ↑ "Delta Times". library.ubc.ca. August 21, 1909. p. 1.
  7. ↑ "Minister of Public Works annual report, 1908–09". library.ubc.ca. p. F16.
  8. ↑ "Minister of Public Works annual report, 1918–19". library.ubc.ca. p. 13 (J9).
  9. ↑ "Minister of Public Works annual report, 1922–23". library.ubc.ca. p. 25 (C13).
  10. ↑ "Minister of Public Works annual report, 1924–25". library.ubc.ca. p. 25 (Q13).
  11. ↑ "Minister of Public Works annual report, 1937–38". library.ubc.ca. p. 17 (X15).
  12. ↑ "Minister of Public Works annual report, 1942–43". library.ubc.ca. p. 21 (O17).
  13. ↑ "Minister of Public Works annual report, 1950–51". library.ubc.ca. p. 35 (N36).
  14. ↑ "Minister of Public Works annual report, 1951–52". library.ubc.ca. p. 36 (P37).
  15. ↑ "BC Road Runner" (PDF). www2.gov.bc.ca. Vol. 6, no. 3. October 1969. p. 2.
  16. ↑ "Minister of Highways annual report, 1971–72". library.ubc.ca. pp. C75, C108.
  17. ↑ "Delta Optimist". library.ubc.ca. September 24, 2020.
  18. ↑ "TransLink Buzzer". translink.ca. July 30, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Fraser River Bridge Transit Procedures: 16.6 Westham Island / Canoe Pass Bridge" (PDF). portvancouver.com. April 6, 2021. p. 12.
  20. ↑ Staff (May 8, 2014). "#WhatsTheLink: Westham Island Bridge, star of the big and small screen". Vancouver Observer.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.