B.C. looking at replacing Ironworkers Memorial Bridge, transport minister says

There could be some good news ahead for commuters struggling to get to and from the North Shore. Transportation Minister Rob Fleming says the province is looking at replacing the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing.

Speaking on Wednesday, Fleming says there’s not yet a timeline for the project, adding the bridge has plenty of life left in it.

But he says the province needs to work ahead and collaborate with the local cities and their mayors.

“It used to be a lot of saber-rattling. A lot of, you know, power-tripping between the province and mayors in this region, and it didn’t work. So, that’s not the approach we’re going to take on the North Shore,” he told CityNews partner, OMNI News.

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“It’s in reasonably good shape. It’s not end-of-life, but it’s not currently configured to allow us to have rapid transit uses on that bridge. So, we’re interested in looking at that we’re talking with both the mayors of the district and the City of North Vancouver,” he said.

Fleming says the province is also considering how to move people more quickly and efficiently up the Sea-to-Sky region.

“There’s a lot of work being done. I think it will be a rapid bus based in the corridor between the Squamish, Whistler, and Pemberton communities. And we’ll have TransLink and BC Transit figuring out how we expand the efforts beyond Lions Bay,” however he adds rail isn’t out of the question.

Whatever happens, Fleming says it will likely be a new bridge crossing the Burrard Inlet, as opposed to a tunnel.

-With files from OMNI News