Royal City residents accustomed to dealing with traffic from the Pattullo Bridge will soon be enjoying the sound of silence – temporarily.
The Pattullo Bridge is being closed to traffic on three weekends this summer for routine maintenance. TransLink has planned weekend closures for July 25 to 28, Aug. 15 to 18 and Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
For this weekend’s closure, the bridge will close at 8 p.m. Friday and reopen at 3 a.m. Monday. In future closures, the bridge will close at 9 p.m. on Fridays.
As the owner of the Pattullo Bridge, TransLink states it must close the bridge so crews can repair and repave sections of the concrete deck on the 77-year-old span. With no vehicles crossing the bridge, TransLink will also take the opportunity to review the condition of the bridge driving surface and make any necessary improvements.
While the bridge will be closed to motorists, TransLink noted that emergency vehicles will still have access to the Pattullo Bridge during the closures.
“This maintenance work will help ensure road safety on the bridge,” said a TransLink media release. “Other structural issues, such as narrow lanes, seismic concern or the need for barriers to protect pedestrians and cyclists will not be addressed at this time.”
TransLink has been working with New Westminster and Surrey on plans for a replacement for the aging Pattullo Bridge.
The City of New Westminster and many local residents have voiced concerns about increased traffic on city streets since tolls were introduced on the Port Mann Bridge.
In March, New Westminster released a position paper, A Reasonable Approach – A Perspective on the Pattullo Bridge, which supports a four-lane, tolled Pattullo Bridge. City councillors and staff also travelled to other councils in the Lower Mainland to garner support for the city’s position.
