Pattullo Bridge replacement
stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge Riverview Bridge | |
|---|---|
Eastern view of the bridge in March 2026 | |
| Coordinates | 49°12′29″N 122°53′33″W / 49.20806°N 122.89250°W |
| Carries | Four lanes of British Columbia Highway 1A/99A, pedestrians and bicycles |
| Crosses | Fraser River |
| Locale | New Westminster Surrey |
| Owner | British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cable-stayed bridge |
| Total length | 1,235 metres (4,052 ft)[1] |
| Height | 167 metres (548 ft)[1] |
| Longest span | 332 metres (1,089 ft)[2] |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Acciona, Aecon, Leonhardt, Andrä and Partner, Hatch Ltd, EXP Services[3] |
| Construction start | February 2021[4] |
| Construction cost | $1.637 billion (estimated)[5] |
| Opened | December 24, 2025 (1 northbound lane)[6] February 14, 2026 (all lanes) |
| Replaces | Pattullo Bridge |
| Location | |
Interactive map of stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge Riverview Bridge | |
The stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge (/ˌstɑːloʊˈɑːsəm/ stah-loh-AH-səm; Halkomelem: [stɑlˀəwˀˈɑːsəm][7]) or the Riverview Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge spanning the Fraser River. The crossing officially opened on February 14, 2026[8] and links the cities of New Westminster and Surrey in Metro Vancouver. Prior to its official opening, one northbound lane of the bridge was opened to vehicle traffic in 2025 in order to fulfill a commitment made by the Provincial government.[6] The bridge received its Halkomelem name from the Kwantlen First Nation and Musqueam Indian Band. Road signage includes both its Halkomelem and English name.[9]
The cable-stayed bridge replaced the existing through arch Pattullo Bridge which has spanned the Fraser River since 1937.
History
Background
On July 31, 2008, TransLink opted to replace the Pattullo Bridge as a new tolled bridge rather than refurbish the ageing structure.[10] A key link between Surrey and the rest of Metro Vancouver, the Pattullo Bridge carried an average of 75,700 cars and 3,840 trucks daily in 2013, representing about 20% of Fraser River vehicle traffic.[11]
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.[12] Construction was expected to take place between 2019 and 2023, with the $1.3 billion funding finalized in 2018.[13][14] It was later decided not to have tolls for the bridge.[15]
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.[16]
Construction
In February 2021, construction began on the replacement bridge with an expected opening in 2024.[4] This work was temporarily suspended to protect fish habitat.[17] In 2024, the opening date was pushed back to late 2025.[18]
In the second quarter of 2025, the main span was successfully connected to the south approach, creating a continuous deck into Surrey.[19] By mid-2025, crews were installing barriers, utilities, and expansion joints, with paving scheduled for later in third quarter.[20]
In September 2025, Wendy Itagawa, the executive director of the project, told Surrey City Council that the bridge would open in December 2025. Itagawa stated there would be a week where neither the Pattullo Bridge or its replacement would be open to traffic.[21] One northbound lane was opened on December 24, 2025[22] before being closing again on January 5, 2026, for further work.[23] A planned closure to both the old and new bridges began on February 6, 2026, and lasted a week.[24][25] On February 14, 2026, all four lanes were opened instead of the planned 3 lanes. [26]
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.[15]
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.[27]
The bridge will feature First Nations artwork, and artwork will also be installed near the bridge approaches. The first artwork has been installed—a design by Kwantlen First Nation artist q̓ʷɑt̓ic̓ɑ (Phyllis Atkins) embossed into the Highway 17–Old Yale Road overpass.[28]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project – Bridge Design" (PDF). BC Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure. September 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
- ^ "Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project Report – Project Summary" (PDF). Infrastructure BC. January 2025. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
- ^ "Procurement/Contractor". BC Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
- ^ a b Chan, Kenneth (April 1, 2021). "New Pattullo Bridge construction underway, but opening pushed to 2024". DailyHive. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- ^ "Pattullo Bridge Replacement Monthly Status Report – May 2025" (PDF). Transportation Investment Corporation. May 2025. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
- ^ a b "It's official: One lane of new Pattullo Bridge now open to vehicle traffic". DailyHive. December 24, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ^ "Bridge Name: stal̕əw̓asəm". www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca. Government of British Columbia. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ "Bridge Opening – Pattullo Bridge". Retrieved February 15, 2026.
- ^ "New bridge receives First Nations name, prepares to welcome traffic". BC Gov News. Government of British Columbia. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
- ^ "New tolled Pattullo Bridge gets green light". CBC News. July 31, 2008. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
- ^ "Pattullo Bridge Perspective". City of New Westminster. March 5, 2014. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
- ^ "2014 Mayors' Council Report on Regional Transportation" (PDF). TransLink. June 2014. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
- ^ "Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project: Community Connections" (PDF). TransLink. June 13, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
- ^ McElroy, Justin (February 16, 2018). "B.C. government to build replacement for Pattullo Bridge". CBC News. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
- ^ a b "Project Overview". Pattullo Bridge Replacement. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
- ^ "BC government selects contractor for new $1.4-billion Pattullo Bridge". DailyHive. January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
- ^ "Monthly Status Report – February 2021" (PDF). Pattullo Bridge Replacement. April 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
- ^ Burns, Anna (May 25, 2024). "Pattullo Bridge replacement delayed again, now projected to open in 2025". Peace Arch News. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
- ^ "Pattullo Bridge Construction Update – Main Deck Connected". Fraser Valley News. April 18, 2025. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
- ^ "Summer 2025 Project Update" (PDF). Pattullo Bridge Replacement. June 2025. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
- ^ Zytaruk, Tom. "Pattullo Bridge replacement expected to be open to traffic in December". Surrey Now Leader. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
- ^ Chan, Cheryl. "Traffic alert: Highway 3 reopens ahead of schedule after major washout | First lane on new stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge opens". Vancouver Sun.
- ^ "Traffic update for the stalewasem (Riverview) Bridge" (PDF). January 2, 2026. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
- ^ "Week-long traffic shutdown begins as Pattullo Bridge switches to replacement". CBC News. February 6, 2026. Archived from the original on February 6, 2026. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
- ^ "Closures planned for Pattullo Bridge, stal̕əw̓asəm (Riverview) Bridge". BC Gov.
- ^ Brockman, Charles. "Pattullo Bridge replacement to fully open Saturday". CityNews.
- ^ McManus, Theresa (November 2022). "New West mayor-elect: Too soon to consider 6-lane replacement for Pattullo Bridge". New West Record. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
- ^ "First Nations Art Program". Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project. Retrieved September 15, 2025.