Surrey mayor disappointed by delays to Pattullo Bridge replacement

The mayor of Surrey says she isn’t pleased with the delays to the Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project.

On Friday, the government of B.C. announced months of delays to the opening of both the Pattullo Bridge Replacement and Broadway Subway projects.

Citing supply chain issues, the province says the new bridge connecting Surrey and New Westminster is now expected to open in the fall of 2025.

“Despite facing significant global challenges, we’ve seen tremendous progress on both of these projects,” said Rob Fleming, B.C.’s minister of transportation and infrastructure. “These projects will move people and goods more quickly and safely around the Lower Mainland.”

In a release Tuesday, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said the province isn’t doing enough to support her city.

“The provincial government has mandated cities to create more housing, yet the province is falling far short on delivering the necessary infrastructure to support that growth,” said Locke.

“The continued delay of the Pattullo crossing is yet another example of the lack of foresight in the housing plan the province has imposed on municipalities.”

Aside from not opening on time, Locke says she’s also disappointed by the new bridge’s capacity.

Locke said it was “a shortsighted decision to replace a 4-lane bridge with a 4-lane bridge,” saying it won’t be enough to manage growing traffic demands.

“The Ministry of Transportation claims that ‘the bridge will be built to allow for potential future expansion to six lanes,'” said Locke. “Well, the future is now, and we need a six-lane Pattullo Bridge today.”