Pattullo Bridge Closed For A Month!?!

Dec 19 2017, 11:46 am

Talking to some of my colleagues at the office who have to make the unfortunate commute from Surrey to Downtown everyday I could sense their frustration. Their commute time doubled today as the Pattullo Bridge has been closed due to a fire that occured earlier this weekend.

Commuters crossing the Fraser River can expect longer line-ups and further delays after a suspicious fire Sunday shut down the Pattullo Bridge for at least a month, diverting its 80,000 daily users to other routes and onto public transit.
The Vancouver Sun


The fact that bridge is still standing is a miracle, it has to be the worst bridge in Metro Vancouver. I felt sorry for my coworkers and I made them feel better by making sarcastic comments about living in Surrey (all in fun, I don’t hate Surrey so no more hate mail please).

That bridge needs to be replaced and it needs to be done fast. Not only is it a death trap, it lacks adequate pedestrian crossing and transit capabilities. I’ve talked about it before, a tolled option is the only option. The residents will cry but thems the brakes for living in the ‘burbs and choosing to commute to downtown.

The city itself is usually overlooked when it comes to $$$ for public projects.

Surrey, a city of 400,000 + people and it has insufficient hospital, shopping, transit and business infrastructure. Don’t worry it has the most cul-de-sacs in the Lower Mainland by a wide margin At night it becomes a dead zone with little or no activity (drug dealing and suburban asshattery aside). Until the city and its residents figure out what kind of city they want to inhabit it will always remain an afterthought in Lower Mainlanders minds.

As it states on the city of Surrey website, “The future lives here.” From what I’ve seen from the business community and its residents I’d beg to differ. The potential is there, it just needs to take more action, Dianne Watts has the vision but does she have the team to execute it?

VancityBuzz.com

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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