Attention Delta residents! Westham Island bridge closures coming soon

December 7, 2018

Attention Delta residents! Westham Island bridge closures coming soon

December 7, 2018

UPDATE – February 1, 2019 – There will be overnight closures from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. on the following nights:

January 28- Feb 2

Feb 11-16

Feb 18-23

Two 30-minute daytime closures will be required every day, except Sundays, for the duration of construction.

* No closures from Sunday night into Monday morning.

If you are a pedestrian/cyclist accessing the bridge, please note:

Pedestrian and cyclist access will be maintained throughout construction with an escort. (There was pedestrian/cyclist restricted access at night for the last few weeks, but those restrictions have been lifted.)

The Westham Island Bridge connects Ladner with Westham Island. It opened to traffic on March 29, 1910. The bridge is approximately 325 metres long and consists of a swing span that opens for marine passage below.

The bridge is 108 years old and requires maintenance and rehabilitation work as part of the TransLink Maintenance and Repair Program to keep it safe and reliable.

Major rehabilitation work on the bridge began this fall and will continue until spring 2019. Work involves repairing and replacing components across the entire bridge, including piles and pile caps, floor beams and stringers below the deck, deck and handrail, and the swing mechanism.

During closures, emergency vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists will be allowed to cross with an escort; the bridge will be closed to all other traffic.

Overnight closures will be from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. on the following nights:

December 10 – 15
December 17 – 22

There will be no closures from Sunday night into Monday morning and no daytime closures during December. Daytime closures will be scheduled in the new year.

Closure details, including dates of future closures, will be shared through the following channels:

Roadside digital signage

The Westham Island Rehabilitation web page

The Delta Optimist

TransLink Twitter

There may be closures of the swing span, the details of which will be communicated regularly to ensure users of the navigational channel are aware of any restrictions.

Learn more about the overnight Westham Island Bridge closures and upcoming @TransLink rehabilitation work that is needed to keep the 108-year-old bridge safe and reliable. #DeltaBC #Ladner https://t.co/uGW1qzrjD9 pic.twitter.com/D9mr97nKJq

— City of Delta (@CityofDeltaBC) December 7, 2018

Why does the bridge have to be closed?

The bridge must be closed at various times throughout construction to ensure the safety of the workers and bridge users, and to accommodate construction equipment.

Is the bridge safe?

The bridge is safe for use; however, as one of the oldest bridges in the region, there are elements of it that are nearing the end of their useful lives. The upcoming rehabilitation work ensures the bridge remains safe and reliable.

We thank bridge users and nearby residents for their patience while we improve one of the oldest bridges in the region.

Make sure you check www.translink.ca/westham for up-to-date information.