The new stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge (Riverview) is a construction zone with a full opening date still in the future, but one lane will be open to drivers on Christmas Eve.
B.C.’s Minister of Transportation, Mike Farnworth, said on Oct. 9 that the new bridge “will be operational to drivers prior to Christmas, that’s still the plan.”
On Dec. 8, he said, “The first phase will be a northbound lane that will link to Columbia Street. The target for that is the 24th of December… just in time for Santa to make his arrival here.”
The one lane will be protected by a blue rental fence, but the old Pattullo Bridge will still be the main link for several more weeks.
In order for the new bridge to be completed, it will still need various lane configurations and a complete closure of both bridges for one week in late January.
One New Westminster resident told Global News he’s looking forward to the new bridge opening.
“They should open it for a couple days and let everybody get a taste of it before Christmas and then the boys need to go back to work and finish it off,” Paul Sharp said.
The stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge is two years behind schedule and nearly $300 million over budget.
“Everything just feels a little bit rushed at the end and it doesn’t feel like it’s coordinated as it should be,” New Westminster Coun. Daniel Fontaine said.
“And I think that’s what’s concerning local businesses we don’t want something to go wrong that could perhaps impact the full opening of the bridge.”