Motorists, cyclists and pedestrians travelling along Columbia Street in the coming weeks may notice some daytime and nighttime work taking place near the Pattullo Bridge.
Starting the week of Jan. 13, Fraser Crossing Partners will install bridge deck panels on the girders across Columbia Street, between McBride Boulevard and the existing bridge, to form the new bridge deck. While this work is taking place, traffic will be maintained in each direction.
“One lane of traffic (will be) maintained in each direction,” said a Jan. 8 notice about the upcoming work on the Pattullo Bridge replacement project. “Occasional single-lane alternating traffic will be required.”
Trucks will continue to use official truck routes, based on applicable time restrictions. This includes Royal Avenue and Braid Street/East Eighth Avenue during the day.
According to the notice, the work is expected to take place for approximately three weeks. While this work is being done, nighttime traffic control will be implemented at night between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
“Work will take place 24 hours a day,” said the notice. “These activities are not anticipated to be noisy.”
The notice stated that access for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists will be maintained.
“Occasionally at night, short stoppages will be required for pedestrians and cyclists on the Central Valley Greenway while deck panel lifts are being conducted,” said the notice. “Traffic control personnel will be on site to assist.”
The work on Columbia Street comes at a time when Front Street remains closed to through traffic because of work on the Pattullo Bridge replacement project.
In mid-June 2024, Fraser Crossing Partners implemented “a six-month” full closure of Front Street between Begbie Street and East Columbia Street so crews could perform drainage work, install steel girders, and build the new bridge deck across Front Street between the bridge foundation south of Columbia Street and the in-river foundation near the New Westminster shoreline.
On Dec. 10, the project team announced the full closure of Front Street would be extended to March 14, 2025 to allow the work to be completed.
Although Front Street (between Begbie and East Columbia streets) has been closed to through traffic, access has been maintained to businesses in downtown New Westminster, including on Front Street Mews. During the Front Street closure, regular traffic has been detoured to Columbia Street and trucks have been detoured to official truck routes depending on the time of day.
Details about the Pattullo Bridge replacement project are available online. Anyone with additional questions about this work can email [email protected] or call the project’s 24/7 phone line at 1-844-815-6149.
