Knight Street Bridge is ready to support the restart of BC’s economy

We are excited to announce that the Knight Street Bridge’s Rehabilitation Project is now complete and the bridge is ready to support the restart of BC’s economy.

Bridges play a vital role in the movement of goods and people in our region. The movement of goods includes anything from the shipment of produce to local grocery stores and food to your doorsteps to components and materials required to manufacture finished products, such as plexiglass partitions and protective barriers.

Together with various modes like roads, waterways, rail facilities and air and sea ports, bridges form an intricate network that enables us to access essential goods and services so that we can carry on with our day-to-day lives.

The Knight Street Bridge (2020)

Everyday about 100,000 vehicles cross the Knight Street Bridge, the second busiest bridge in the Lower Mainland. The bridge acts as the main corridor from Downtown Vancouver terminals to industry in North and South Richmond North as well as the Tilbury Industrial area out to Delta Port. Many of these are trucks support the goods movement in/between the region and the rest of Canada/US.

On the regular days, you are most likely to encounter various trucks delivering containers from the ports in Vancouver, Seattle and Tacoma to destinations in British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon Territory as well as Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Even during the pandemic, the bridge continues to play an essential role in the movement of goods.

The Knight Street Bridge was opened on January 15, 1974. To ensure safe and efficient operations for all bridge users, we conduct significant rehabilitation work of this nature approximately once every ten to 15 years, in addition to ongoing maintenance, as a part of TransLink Maintenance and Repair Program. This work also safeguards the bridge from the effects of climate change and allows for seismic preparedness and resilience.

The 2020 Knight Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project commenced in January and was conducted overnight from 10 p.m and 5 p.m to minimize the impact on bridge users. The work included:

• • Concrete pier repairs, bearing and expansion joint replacement
  • Replacement of signage, including warning signs, regulatory signs and pedestrian crosswalks signs
  • Lighting upgrades for better visibility and energy efficiency
  • Replacement of crash cushions (impact attenuators)

We have recently successfully completed the upgrades on time, just as the province announced the plan for easing COVID-19 restrictions. The Knight Street Bridge is refreshed and ready to support the gradual restart of our economy. Learn more about TransLink’s role in Metro Vancouver’s goods movement by checking out Regional Goods Movement Strategy.

New bus shelters and more coming to Nanaimo Bus Exchange!

Construction is expected to begin in early 2019 and conclude in late 2019

Exciting news for those of you who access the Nanaimo Bus Exchange on your daily commute!

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Attention Delta residents! Westham Island bridge closures coming soon

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.

Have questions? For more information, please email Westham.Island.Bridge@TransLink.ca or contact Customer Information at 604-953-3333.

Author: Tanushree Pillai

New bus loop at Joyce-Collingwood Station and more!

The TransLink Maintenance and Repair Program is improving aging infrastructure across the system

Upgrades to Joyce-Collingwood Station are well underway. The new bus loop at Joyce-Collingwood Station is now complete – a milestone in the TransLink Maintenance and Repair Program that’s improving aging infrastructure across the system.

The next phase of construction will start next week, with crews completing necessary upgrade work.

The west stationhouse at Joyce–Collingwood SkyTrain Station will be closed from August 13 until spring 2019 as station improvements continue. During construction, the station will remain open and accessible to all customers.

Where do I catch my bus or SkyTrain?

Two new bus shelters at the Joyce-Collingwood Station – opening August 13.

Beginning August 13, customers will use the east stationhouse and newly-constructed bus loop to access SkyTrain and buses.

• Buses will move to the new bus loop adjacent to the east stationhouse.
• From August 13 to spring 2019, the west stationhouse will close and customers can catch their bus at the new bus loop adjacent to the east stationhouse.
• The bus loop has larger shelters and is the new permanent location for the 28 and 41/43 routes.

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