PATULLO BRIDGE FIRE

The venerable old Patullo Bridge is shut down because of a fire, possibly set by homeless people living under it. Built as a make work project during the depression of the 1930’s, it has served admirably as a major fraser river crossing for 72 years. As I recall it was a toll bridge but the best way to get to New Westminster to shop and my parents made the trip to get groceries once a week. Times have changed. 

The bridge has obviously  done what it was designed to do and should be retired and replaced.  

The latest study done on it suggests that it would be less costly to build and maintain a new bridge than upgrade and maintain the old one which will still have a number of safety issues that must at some point be addressed.

Don't fix bridge: Report

Building new crossing would be less costly

Frank Luba, The Province

Published: Wednesday, July 30, 2008

A consultant's report to go to TransLink's board meeting tomorrow advises against fixing the 70-year-old Pattullo Bridge, where 21 people have died in traffic accidents since 1990.

The meeting is closed to the public.

"The current condition of the bridge requires a significant capital-cost investment to rehabilitate the bridge to obtain three standard-travel lanes. These rehabilitation costs would be similar to the incremental cost of providing three additional lanes on the new bridge structure," says an executive summary of the Delcan report, made available yesterday.

The four-lane Pattullo across the Fraser River connects New Westminster to Surrey. Both municipalities have called for the bridge to be updated or replaced, particularly because it will be the free option to the future tolled Port Mann Bridge that is part of the province's Gateway Program.

Delcan said other downsides to fixing the four-lane Pattullo are that it would only last another 50 years and it would be more expensive to maintain than a new bridge.

There would also be complications with the approaches and it could take longer to fix than building a new and wider bridge.

Delcan recommends a new bridge 50 metres downstream from the existing bridge.

Although it would be more expensive than an option 50 metres upstream of the existing bridge, it would have limited impact on residential and industrial properties and moderate impact on parks.

There's no plan to replace the bridge in TransLink's 2009 10-year transportation and financial Plan to be discussed at the in-camera meeting tomorrow.

© The Vancouver Province 2008