Pattullo Bridge Replacement

{{Short description|Bridge in New Westminster and Surrey, British Columbia}}

{{Infobox Bridge

|bridge_name = Pattullo Bridge Replacement

|image =

|carries = Four lanes of British Columbia Highway 1A/99A, pedestrians and bicycles

|crosses = Fraser River

|locale = New Westminster
Surrey

|owner = TransLink

|design = Cable-stayed bridge

|length =

|open = Fall 2025

|coordinates = {{coord|display=inline,title|name=Pattullo Bridge Replacement|49.208472|N|122.893424|W}}

|traffic =

}}

The Pattullo Bridge Replacement is a cable-stayed bridge set to open in Fall 2025 that crosses the Fraser River and links the cities of New Westminster and Surrey in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

On July 31, 2008, TransLink opted to replace the Pattullo Bridge, rather than try to refurbish the aging structure.{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-tolled-pattullo-bridge-gets-green-light-1.735161 |title=New tolled Pattullo Bridge gets green light |date=July 31, 2008 |publisher=CBC News |access-date=August 27, 2016}} In June 2014, the Metro Vancouver Mayors' Council determined that the existing structure will be demolished and replaced with a new, 4-lane bridge.{{cite web |url=http://www.translink.ca/-/media/Documents/about_translink/governance_and_board/mayors_vision/mayors_council_vision_mar_2015.pdf |title=2014 Mayors' Council Report on Regional Transportation |date=June 2014 |publisher=TransLink |access-date=August 27, 2016}} Construction was expected to take place between 2019 and 2023, with the $1.3 billion funding finalized in 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.translink.ca/-/media/Documents/plans_and_projects/roads_bridges/pattullo_bridge/Pattullo%20Bridge%20Community%20Connections%20Consultation%20Discussion%20Guide.pdf |title=Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project: Community Connections |date=June 13, 2016 |publisher=TransLink |access-date=August 27, 2016}}{{cite news|last1=McElroy|first1=Justin|title=B.C. government to build replacement for Pattullo Bridge|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pattullo-bridge-bc-announcement-1.4538939|access-date=February 16, 2018|work=CBC News|date=February 16, 2018}} On April 1, 2021, construction began on the replacement bridge with an expected opening date in 2024.{{cite web |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-construction-progress-april-2021 |access-date=October 18, 2021 |title=New Pattullo Bridge construction underway, but opening pushed to 2024 |website=DailyHive | date=April 1, 2021 | first=Kenneth |last=Chan }} It is now scheduled for late 2025.{{cite news |last=Burns |first=Anna |date=May 25, 2024 |title=Pattullo Bridge replacement delayed again, now projected to open in 2025 |newspaper=Peace Arch News |url=https://www.peacearchnews.com/local-news/pattullo-bridge-replacement-delayed-again-now-projected-to-open-in-2025-7364978 |access-date=May 29, 2024 |quote=The Pattullo Bridge replacement will not open until fall 2025, nearly two years after it was projected to open. }}

The name, which will be in Halkomelem, of the new bridge will be decided jointly by Musqueam First Nation and Kwantlen First Nation.{{cite web |last1=Chan |first1=Kenneth |title=New Pattullo Bridge to be renamed with new First Nations name in the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-new-indigenous-renaming-art |website=DailyHive |access-date=22 June 2025}}

Design

The Pattullo Bridge has a number of issues including not seismically sound, having narrow lanes, and having no barriers separating opposite flow of traffic or pedestrians and cyclists. This facilitated a need for a replacement.{{cite web |title=Project Overview |url=https://www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca/about/projectoverview/ |website=pattullobridgereplacement |access-date=22 June 2025}}

The bridge will be built with 4 lanes of traffic allowing for the expansion of 2 more making a total of 6. The city of New Westminster wanted 4 lanes while the city of Surrey wanted 6.{{cite web |last1=McManus |first1=Theresa |title=New West mayor-elect: Too soon to consider 6-lane replacement for Pattullo Bridge |url=https://www.newwestrecord.ca/local-news/new-west-mayor-elect-too-soon-to-consider-6-lane-replacement-for-pattullo-bridge-6040276 |website=New West Record |access-date=22 June 2025}}

The bridge will feature artwork by Kwantlen First Nation artist q̓ʷɑt̓ic̓ɑ, Phyllis Atkins.

History

A key link between Surrey and the rest of Greater Vancouver, the predecessor Pattullo Bridge handled an average of 75,700 cars and 3840 trucks daily, or roughly 20% of vehicle traffic across the Fraser River in 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.portmoody.ca/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=6697 |title=Pattullo Bridge Perspective |publisher=City of New Westminster |date=March 5, 2014 |access-date=August 27, 2016}}

In June 2014, the Metro Vancouver Mayors' Council determined that the existing Pattullo Bridge will be demolished and replaced with a new, 4-lane, tolled replacement bridge.{{cite web |url=http://www.translink.ca/-/media/Documents/about_translink/governance_and_board/mayors_vision/mayors_council_vision_mar_2015.pdf |title=2014 Mayors' Council Report on Regional Transportation |date=June 2014 |publisher=TransLink |access-date=August 27, 2016}} Construction was expected to take place between 2019 and 2023, with the $1.3 billion funding finalized in 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.translink.ca/-/media/Documents/plans_and_projects/roads_bridges/pattullo_bridge/Pattullo%20Bridge%20Community%20Connections%20Consultation%20Discussion%20Guide.pdf |title=Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project: Community Connections |date=June 13, 2016 |publisher=TransLink |access-date=August 27, 2016}}{{cite news|last1=McElroy|first1=Justin|title=B.C. government to build replacement for Pattullo Bridge|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pattullo-bridge-bc-announcement-1.4538939|access-date=February 16, 2018|work=CBC News|date=February 16, 2018}} It was later decided to not have tolls for the bridge.

On January 3, 2020, the government of British Columbia contracted Fraser Crossing Partners–a joint partnership between Acciona Infrastructure Canada and Aecon Group–to design and construct the replacement bridge. The contract also includes the construction of new road connections at the bridgeheads in New Westminster and Surrey. The new bridge will include pedestrian access and allow for future widening from 4 lanes to 6 lanes.{{Cite web|url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-replacement-acciona-aecon-contractor|title=BC government selects contractor for new $1.4-billion Pattullo Bridge {{!}} Urbanized|website=dailyhive.com|language=en|access-date=January 4, 2020}}

In February 2021, contractors began installing piles that will form the foundation of the bridge tower. However, this work was temporarily suspended to protect fish and habitat.{{cite web |url=https://www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca/app/uploads/sites/637/2021/04/PBR-TIC-PCO-RPT-R0-Monthly-Status-Report-202102.pdf |access-date=July 6, 2022 |title=Monthly Status Report |website=Pattullo Bridge Replacement | date=April 2021 | author=Transportation Investment Corporation}} On April 1, 2021, construction began on the replacement bridge with an expected opening date in 2024.{{cite web |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-construction-progress-april-2021 |access-date=October 18, 2021 |title=New Pattullo Bridge construction underway, but opening pushed to 2024 |website=DailyHive | date=April 1, 2021 | first=Kenneth |last=Chan }} It is now scheduled for late 2025.{{cite news |last=Burns |first=Anna |date=May 25, 2024 |title=Pattullo Bridge replacement delayed again, now projected to open in 2025 |newspaper=Peace Arch News |url=https://www.peacearchnews.com/local-news/pattullo-bridge-replacement-delayed-again-now-projected-to-open-in-2025-7364978 |access-date=May 29, 2024 |quote=The Pattullo Bridge replacement will not open until fall 2025, nearly two years after it was projected to open. }}