$1.22B Pattullo Bridge Replacement Targets Late-2025 Opening in British Columbia
Work on the long-delayed replacement of British Columbia’s Pattullo Bridge is approaching its final phase, with provincial officials now targeting a late-2025 opening—nearly two years beyond the original schedule.
The new four-lane cable-stayed span will replace the 1937 truss crossing that links Surrey and New Westminster across the Fraser River, one of the region’s busiest commuter corridors.
The bridge is being delivered by the province’s Transportation Investment Corp., which in 2020 awarded the design-build-finance contract to Fraser Crossing Partners, a joint venture of Aecon Group Inc. and Acciona Infrastructure Canada Inc.
At financial close, the project carried a value of about $1.05 billion; provincial updates now list the total cost at roughly $1.22 billion, adjusted for inflation and currency.
When ENR last reported on the project in early 2020, work was set to begin that spring with completion expected by 2023. The pandemic and related supply-chain disruptions—particularly in steel and cable production—extended procurement timelines and pushed delivery nearly two years behind.
Then-Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said in a 2021 government statement that the bridge would “provide a safer and more efficient connection between communities while supporting good jobs and economic growth.”
Since then, the project’s defining feature—a 548-ft-tall central tower—has been completed, along with most of the deck-girder segments and approach spans.
The final stay cables, fabricated in the U.K., are scheduled for installation this fall, followed by paving, barrier placement and finishing work continuing through mid-2026. TI Corp says the bridge remains on budget and “on track for completion by the end of 2025.”
The structure’s design eliminates four of the six in-river piers that supported the original crossing, reducing navigational hazards and environmental impact. The new bridge will open toll-free, featuring wider lanes, a concrete median barrier and separated pedestrian and cycling paths on each side.
Engineered for future expansion to six lanes, the bridge incorporates a specialized gantry system that allows inspection of the stay cables without major traffic closures—a first for the province, according to TI Corp.
Built under British Columbia’s Community Benefits Agreement, the project emphasizes local and Indigenous employment and apprenticeship opportunities. A March 2025 inspection by the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office confirmed compliance with sediment, dust and spill-control requirements.
Construction crews continue to stage traffic detours on connecting routes in Surrey and New Westminster while maintaining flow on the existing span, which will be demolished once the new bridge opens. Demolition is expected to continue into 2026, according to current Transportation Minister George Heyman.
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