New Pattullo coming 2015, consultation Sept. 14

According to The Province, TransLink is set to unveil its plans for a six-lane Pattullo Bridge replacement in the next few weeks. The regional transportation authority, which is responsible for the existing crossing, has been studying options for the bridge since 2008, concluding that a replacement near the existing bridge’s location is the most cost effective solution.

TransLink plans to present several options, including their preferred one, to audiences in Surrey and New Westminster this month. Access on the Surrey side will remain relatively similar to the existing configuration, save for some modifications to 128 St and Scott Road. The major change will be the removal of access to the bridge from Royal Avenue in New Westminster, although connections will remain to Columbia St, McBride Boulevard, and Front St. Following the consultation meetings, TransLink will present a preferred plan to Surrey and New Wesminster councils.

According to TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie, the projects will likely be fasttracked:

“We want to have it in place well before that [2020] so, I would say, 2015 to 2016 would be a good target for us to have a new one ready to go.”

Although the Pattullo has always been planned to be financed by tolls, similar to the Golden Ears Bridge, another TransLink crossing, if new sources can be found, tolls may not be used:

“If we can find some other way to pay for it that doesn’t involve tolls, we’ll take that route. On the other hand if it will take tolls to build it, we definitely need to build it. So tolls will be considered but no decision has been made.”

The Golden Ears Bridge began detailed design in 2005 and construction in 2006, opening to traffic in 2009. Following a similar schedule, if TransLink finalized a multi-municipal agreement this year, and moved ahead with detailed design next year, the Pattullo replacement could open by 2015 at the earliest.

The Pattullo Bridge was a Depression-era stimulus project, initiated by then-Premier Thomas Dufferin Pattullo, and completed in 1937. Due to its construction before highway standards, its narrow lanes and lack of a centre median made the route prone to head on collisions, leading to a number of highly publicized car accidents and deaths in recent years. The bridge carries roughly 20% of regional Fraser River crossings traffic.

The Surrey consultation meeting will be held September 14 from 5:30p to 8:30p at the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre at 13458 107A Ave.