After multiple delays and a nearly two-year wait, the Simon Fraser Bridge is set to fully reopen this weekend.
Upgrades to the structure include a full deck replacement and strengthening of the truss for the southbound bridge.
An increase in height clearance will match the adjacent northbound crossing, which will allow for the passage of taller transport vehicles on the Ferry Avenue underpass.
Other works included widening the shoulders and replacing the existing railings on both sides with crash-tested bridge barriers. The improvements make the structure more reliable for approximately 18,000 vehicles that cross daily.
The original Simon Fraser Bridge was built in 1963 as part of Highway 97. In 2009, the bridge was twinned with an adjacent two-lane bridge, which brought four-lane capacity to the crossing.
Construction started in January 2022 when both southbound lanes were closed and the bridge traffic lanes were reconfigured for single-lane traffic. That closed southbound access to the bridge from Ferry Avenue and a detour has been in effect ever since.
- with files from Ted Clarke
