THE Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation on Tuesday welcomed the federal government’s announcement of $2.1 billion in funding for the Trade and Transportation Corridors Initiative.
Linda Hepner, Mayor of Surrey and Vice-Chair of the Mayors Council, said:”We look forward to working with the Government of Canada to consider the replacement of the 80-year-old Pattullo Bridge which is a vital transportation linkage across the Fraser River for freight, trade and transportation of goods.”
Kevin Desmond, CEO of TransLink, said: “The Pattullo Bridge has served us well for decades but a replacement is urgently needed by 2023. This bridge is a key link in the Asia-Pacific Gateway goods movement network and more than one million heavy trucks use the Pattullo every year.
“Our next steps will be to speak with our Gateway Council partners and submit an application to the Government of Canada. As Canada’s number one trade gateway, our region has significant infrastructure improvement needs, including the Pattullo Bridge. The Trade and Transportation Corridors Initiative is designed to address these needs.”
THEÂ Pattullo Bridge was built in 1937 and is a key transportation link between Surrey-Delta and New Westminster-Burnaby. More than 80,000 cars and trucks cross the bridge on a typical weekday.
While TransLink has spent more than $50 million since 1999 to extend the lifespan of the Pattullo Bridge, its condition will continue to deteriorate and there will come a point where it will no longer be safe to use.
TransLink is currently completing the preliminary bridge design and undergoing an environmental assessment for the Pattullo Replacement Project. Once the environmental assessment for the project is complete and funding is secured, TransLink will be ready to move to the procurement stage in spring 2018. Bridge construction is expected to start in 2019.
The replacement bridge will increase capacity by 10 per cent with wider lanes and provide a safer crossing with a centre median for motorists and separated pedestrian and cyclist paths.
The Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project also includes the addition of a number of interchanges to improve traffic flow off the bridge and on the South Fraser Perimeter Road between the Port Mann Bridge and Deltaport.