Westham Island Bridge incident

This webpage provides the most up-to-date information on the Westham Island Bridge, following a barge strike on January 20, 2026. For more information from the City of Delta, visit delta.ca/westhamislandbridge.

View of the Westham Island Bridge in Delta, a single‑lane wooden truss bridge with green railings and warning signs at the entrance under an overcast sky.

The bridge is currently open to vehicle traffic.

Updates

[July 22, 2026 | 9:00 p.m.]

Transport Canada has directed TransLink to resume 24-hour bridge swing operations for the Westham Island Bridge, with the stipulations noted in Transport Canada’s updated NAVWARN. The NAVWARN states:

The Westham Island Canoe Pass bridge at 49 04.825N 123 07.732W is undergoing maintenance.

The east draw (Ladner side) channel is closed to marine traffic due to hazards and the west draw (Island side) is open.

Workers on site monitoring VHF channel 74.

Temporary signage will be installed at the East Channel to indicate that it is closed to marine traffic.

We have and will continue to work with Transport Canada and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority on mitigation measures and guidance for marine users. We will provide an update when the Port Authority publishes the updated Port Information Guide.

[July 21, 2026 | 4:30 p.m.]

Transport Canada has directed TransLink that the Westham Island Bridge swing span must be opened when requested for vessels engaged in Indigenous fishing activities, in accordance with normal safe operating procedures. This is effective immediately and in place until further notice.

TransLink must comply with the direction of Transport Canada, which administers the Canadian Navigable Waters Act, which protects the right to navigate all navigable waters and regulates works that may interfere with navigation.

Port Authority issued a notice of amendment to its Port Information Guide on April 28, 2026. We continue to work with Transport Canada and the Port Authority on mitigation measures and guidance for marine users. We will share more information when updated guidelines are issued by the Port Authority.

[May 21, 2026 | 11:00 a.m.]

TransLink has submitted an application to Transport Canada for revised operating procedures for Westham Island Bridge. More information can be found on the Navigable Waters Registry (http://cps.canada.ca/).

Members of the public, mariners, and the Westham Island and Ladner communities are invited to provide input on these changes from May 21 to June 24, 2026.

Comments can be provided to Transport Canada via the Common Project Search using registry number 14746 or NPP File Number 2003-500720.
Alternatively, comments can be mailed to #820-800 Burrard Street, Vancouver BC, V6Z 2J8 if you do not have access to the internet.

Following the consultation period, Transport Canada will decide on the new procedures.

[March 28, 2026 | 7:30 p.m. update]

The Westham Island Bridge has reopened to vehicle traffic following critical safety repairs after a marine vessel damaged one of the bridge’s piers in late January. Crews have completed the necessary work to safely reopen the bridge to vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.

Over the past 67 days, crews have been working around the clock to repair the bridge as safely and efficiently as possible. Repairs have included installation of a temporary pier, removal of the damaged pier materials, rehabilitation of the bridge deck, and construction of a new pier, which involved pile driving and installing large structural support beams.

Some critical repair work will continue in the coming weeks to stabilize piles with rock protection, remove the temporary pier, and add more steel reinforcements. The navigation channel remains closed to marine traffic while this is an active construction site.

There may also be intermittent times when the swing span must open to allow crews to safely access specific areas and complete the remaining work. These openings will last around 15 minutes at a time and will be scheduled overnight to minimize further disruptions to the community.

Over the past several weeks, teams from TransLink, City of Delta, the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, and the Ministry of Agriculture have worked closely together to support the community and help restore access to Westham Island. This reopening reflects the commitment of the many people who contributed to the repair effort in every capacity.

TransLink thanks Westham Island residents, businesses, mariners, and bridge users for their patience as crews worked to repair the bridge as quickly as possible.