The City of New Westminster is compiling a case for a one-lane replacement for the existing Bailey Bridge as it fears a two-lane crossing could significantly increase traffic in the congested corridor.
The crossing has been a longtime conflict between the cities of New Westminster and Coquitlam, with New West supporting a one-lane bridge in the Braid industrial area and its neighbour preferring a two-lane crossing.
“Recent modelling has identified that traffic volume across the bridge could increase significantly (approximately 45 per cent) if two lanes of traffic were introduced,” said Jim Lowrie, the city’s director of engineering. “This added traffic will result in longer queues and increased delay times at the five level railway crossings on Braid Street, and the Braid Street-Brunette Avenue. Intersection, which are already heavily congested.”
The province has appointed an arbitrator to consider whether the crossing in the Braid industrial area is best served by a one-lane crossing, as New Westminster wants, or the two-lane crossing south by Coquitlam. The arbitrator’s decision will be binding.
“We are putting together our final submission on the arbitration. They are due on Tuesday,” Lowrie said. “The final submission is due Tuesday and we are just finalizing that now.”
Because the arbitration is similar to a legal case, Lowrie was unable to provide any specific details about the city’s submission until the arbitrator considers it.
“The arbitrator has 21 days to make a finding,” he said. “It’s not like a court hearing where you are cross examining the other party – it’s an arbitrator’s final decision.”
By the beginning of July, the city expects to have a decision on the arbitration and a new temporary bridge in place.
The existing Bailey Bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic since the beginning of March, when engineers hired by the city deemed it to be structurally unsound. In an effort to reopen the crossing, the city has resourced a new temporary bridge that it expects to be delivered in the middle of June.
“It’s a lease-to-own arrangement. We are leasing the bridge and we have the option to purchase it,” Lowrie said. “The lease term is for one year.”
The city anticipates that the cost of the bridge will be about $175,000. The city could have received a free bridge from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, but it would have had to agree to two crossing lanes to get that bridge.
Coun. Jonathan Cote said the city couldn’t agree to that condition, as it would have compromised the city’s position in the binding arbitration process.
“The city has, from the very beginning, recognized it does have a responsibility for that crossing, and certainly does have a financial obligation to pay for the transportation infrastructure in our community. The $175,000 cost is something that is course of the city being able to do that,” Cote said. “Unfortunately taking the province’s offer would have completely undermined our position through the arbitration process and really made the arbitration a moot point, which we think would have been against the best interests of the City of New Westminster.”
Although the bridge is considered a temporary structure, Cote told The Record it could be used for 20 or 25 years, depending on the arbitrator’s decision.
The crossing has been a bone of contention between New Westminster and Coquitlam for more than a decade.
For a look back at some of the significant dates in this longstanding dispute, visit Theresa McManus’s blog on The Record’s website.
