An arbitrator has sided with Coquitlam in a longstanding feud with New Westminster about the Bailey bridge.
After years of conflicting views on the future of the Bailey bridge, which links the two cities through the Braid industrial area, New Westminster and Coquitlam recently went to arbitration. After reviewing the submissions by both cities, arbitrator S. Glenn Sigurdson found Coquitlam’s proposal to be “more persuasive” and selected a two-lane bridge for the controversial crossing.
Coun. Chuck Puchmayr said he thought the city put forward a “very good case” but always knew it would have to accept the consequences of the arbitrator’s decision.
“I would say I am surprised. I truly think that the safety of goods movement through that corridor, the safety of the issues related to the more than 60 train movements a day, the letter from the railways, from Transport Canada with regards to that,” he told The Record. “Of course I am disappointed we weren’t successful, but we did agree to this process and we have to accept, in good faith, the binding decision by an arbitrator.”
Mayor Wayne Wright expressed surprise and disappointment with the decision, as he felt the city put forward an “extremely competent and fact-filled” submission.
“There’s not much to it,” he said of the arbitrator’s decision. “It’s weird.”
Puchmayr was also disappointed the arbitrator’s decision didn’t provide any rationale for supporting Coquitlam’s position. The Community Charter states that no written reasons are to be provided by the arbitrator.
“We are extremely happy with the arbitrator’s ruling today,” Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart said in a press release. “We have long held that this crossing, while seemingly small, is an important one for our residents – especially as it helps alleviate congestion on the Brunette overpass and, in turn, increases access to Royal Columbian Hospital, Coquitlam’s primary regional hospital. We look forward to seeing this work finally move forward.”
New Westminster officials have repeatedly stated that the issue of access to Royal Columbian Hospital is a red herring as anyone wanting to access the hospital quickly wouldn’t drive through an industrial area where they could be blocked in by passing trains. Both Stewart and B.C. Transportation Minister Todd Stone have cited hospital access as a reason for a two-lane crossing in the Braid industrial area.
“That just does not make any sense for me at all. “It is not the protocol or the process to allow an ambulance to be stopped by five sets of trains. That is disturbing,” Wright said. “I don’t think you want to have hangnail and go through there. It doesn’t matter how little it is – it is that you can’t get through.”
Wright fears the route through the Braid industrial area will become unsafe as more motorists travel through the area. He said it’s been projected that “thousands” more people will travel through the area with a two-lane bridge.
“It won’t be one of my places to go,” he said.
Wright was in a dentist’s chair when the arbitrator’s decision was released early Wednesday afternoon. Returning to the office, he put in a call to Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart to figure out where the cities go from here.
“They would like us to stop the building of the original Bailey bridge right now, which I don’t have a problem with,” he told The Record Wednesday afternoon. “It’s a day (delay) to have our collective thoughts. I think they have asked our engineering staff to hold up on it until I speak to Richard. I haven’t had a chance to speak to Richard yet.”
Although there’s space at the site to accommodate a second crossing next to the bridge that’s set to be installed next week, Wright said it is worth delaying installation of the first bridge by a day to sort things out with Coquitlam.
“I would suggest that is what we are going to bring to Richard’s attention, but we have to have that talk before we go any further,” he said. “I just don’t want to escalate it anymore than what it already has.”
According to a press release from the City of Coquitlam, the two cities will now begin the process of working together to implement the arbitrator’s decision.
“This is a positive step in resolving this dispute,” said Peter Steblin, Coquitlam’s city. “We look forward to working with our counterparts at the City of New Westminster on implementing this binding decision and finally putting this issue behind us.”
The decision comes at a time when the City of New Westminster is getting to work installing a new single-lane Bailey bridge and removing the old bridge that was deemed to be structurally unsound. The parts have arrived and Mainroad Contracting crews are doing prep work needed to allow the new bridge to be installed next week.
“Once that is done, they will start putting the new bridge in and pulling out the existing bridge at the same time,” said Keith Whitely, an engineering technologist with the city. “It’s going to be a pretty neat process.”
In preparation for the installation of the new Bailey bridge, Whiteley has watched videos to help ensure it runs smoothly as he’s never had an opportunity to witness this type of procedure firsthand.
“They will jack up the old bridge and put it on some rollers, hook the new bridge onto it,” he told The Record Monday. “They start pushing the new bridge on and pulling the old bridge off at the same time.”
The province had previously offered to lend the city two single-lane crossings. The existing Bailey bridge has been closed to vehicles since March.
Puchmayr said the bridge being installed next week won’t preclude a second bridge from being installed at the site.
“We are not foolishly going to do something that we are going to have to dig out and incur a huge cost to taxpayers,” he said. “It was a prudent decision by engineering to get that infrastructure up and running, with the full capacities that are required for that area.”
