Pattullo Bridge closed for weekend amidst hot air about a replacement
The Pattullo Bridge is 80 years old this year, but it isn't getting birthday greetings from any politicians or bridge users. The first full weekend closure of the Pattullo Bridge is scheduled to take place this weekend – from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. It is the latest in a series of weekend closures of the bridge over the past few summers, as work crews attempt to apply baling wire and binder twine to keep it patched up a little bit longer. The Pattullo Bridge turned 80 this year, but there has been no celebration of any kind. The bridge has become a sad joke. The never-ending talk of replacement is a perfect reflection of the impotence of TransLink and the oft-fractious relationships between cities north of the Fraser and those on the south side. TransLink has been talking about replacing the bridge for years. It took over the bridge from the provincial government upon its formation almost 20 years ago. The width of a replacement bridge has been contentious, wit...