New Westminster/Surrey – Two years behind schedule and approximately $300 million over budget, the New stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge (Patttulo) Bridge opens on Christmas Eve Day.
BUT, only one lane.
One northbound lane of the new stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge (Riverview) is scheduled to open on December 24, providing a temporary link to Columbia Street.
NOTE: The name Stal̕əw̓asəm is pronounced STALL-oh-ah-sum. This name, which translates to “place to view the river” or “riverview,” is in the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language (part of the Halkomelem language family)
Here are the key details from the article:
Partial Opening: Only one lane will be operational for Christmas; the old Pattullo Bridge will remain the primary route for several more weeks.
Future Closures: To finalize construction, both the new and old bridges will undergo a complete one-week closure in late January.
From the project website – Traffic will be switched to the stal̕əw̓asəm (Riverview) Bridge in phases, to allow for completion of the tie-ins to existing roadways on either side. During the first phase, one northbound lane will open to traffic on December 24. Subsequent phases will begin in January and involve various lane configurations, including a one-week closure of both bridges anticipated in mid to late January. This work is weather dependent, and specific dates will be communicated when they are confirmed.
Once all four lanes open, the new bridge will connect to King George Boulevard in Surrey and McBride Boulevard in New Westminster. The off-ramp to East Columbia Street in New Westminster will also be open.
The new Royal Avenue on-ramp, Columbia Street loop-ramp and Highway 17 off-ramp will open in phases, as they cannot be completed until sections of the connecting roadways and the Pattullo Bridge have been removed.
As part of the Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project, the Pattullo Bridge will be removed after the stal̕əw̓asəm (Riverview) Bridge is open. The removal process for the Pattullo Bridge will take approximately two years. Learn more about Pattullo Bridge deconstruction
