New Pitt River Bridge Opens on Schedule and on Budget
PITT MEADOWS – Premier Gordon Campbell and Randy Kamp, Member of Parliament for Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, on behalf of the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, officially opened the new Pitt River Bridge today, which will reduce congestion and cut travel times for the almost 90,000 vehicles that cross each day.
“This new seven-lane Pitt River Bridge will connect Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows and the Tri Cities like never before as well as reducing congestion and improving travel times for commuters and business traffic,” said Premier Campbell. “This is the first bridge to open under our Gateway Program, which will reduce travel times throughout the Lower Mainland, streamline the movement of goods and people, and build British Columbia’s role as Canada’s Pacific Gateway for trade, tourism and investment.”
“This investment will contribute to Canada’s trade competitiveness by improving the ability to move goods quickly and efficiently, while easing the impact of trade traffic on the communities in Greater Vancouver’s northeast sector,” said Mr. Kamp.
Construction of the new bridge was completed on budget and on schedule. The bridge will improve the safety and reliability of the area’s rapidly growing transportation corridor. In addition to replacing the existing swing bridges, the project will replace the current Lougheed Highway and Mary Hill Bypass intersection with a free-flowing interchange.
With its strategic location linking the CP Intermodal Terminal and Lower Mainland ports, the Pitt River Bridge and Mary Hill Interchange Project is a critical component of the Gateway Program. The $198-million Pitt River Bridge project is being cost-shared between the provincial and federal governments. The Province has committed $108 million in funding, with the remainder coming from the Federal Government under Canada’s Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative.
