“People in Surrey depend on the Patullo Bridge every day, and upgrades to this important piece of infrastructure are long overdue,” said Jagrup Brar, MLA for Surrey-Fleetwood. “I’m proud that our government has acted quickly on this, getting to work to ensure people in Surrey have a safe, easy, and toll-free commute.”

NEW WESTMINSTER – The contract for the Pattullo Bridge replacement, worth $967.5 million, has been awarded to Fraser Crossing Partners.

According to the government, it will help create good jobs and training opportunities for workers who will help build the toll-free crossing to better connect communities in the Lower Mainland.

 “People in Surrey depend on the Patullo Bridge every day, and upgrades to this important piece of infrastructure are long overdue,” said Jagrup Brar, MLA for Surrey-Fleetwood. “I’m proud that our government has acted quickly on this, getting to work to ensure people in Surrey have a safe, easy, and toll-free commute.”

The $1.4-billion total project will see a new four-lane bridge built with wider lanes connecting Surrey and New Westminster.

The expanded bridge will also include dedicated lanes for pedestrians and cyclists. It will be built to potentially allow for the bridge to be expanded to six lanes.

Construction is slated to begin this year with the new bridge scheduled to open in fall of 2023.

Fraser Crossing Partners — consisting of a number of construction companies — has been awarded a $967.5 million contract to replace the bridge, with the remaining costs covering project management, financing, property acquisition and other project-related items.

The bridge is being built under a so-called community benefits agreement, which is aimed at boosting apprenticeship opportunities and hiring more women, Indigenous people and other under-represented workers.

"The current bridge has needed to be replaced for years, and I'm proud our government is getting it done in a way that benefits the local community with good jobs and training opportunities," Premier John Horgan said in a statement. "This is all part of our work to keep people and goods moving as we build a strong, sustainable B.C."

The bridge will be built to allow for potential future expansion to six lanes. The bridge will also have wider lanes and better connections into Surrey and New Westminster, improving ease of travel on this corridor for locals and commercial vehicles. The design includes dedicated pedestrian and cyclist lanes, separated from traffic, that will improve safety for all road users and encourage active transportation options. Construction will begin in the coming months, and the new bridge is scheduled to open in fall 2023.