TransLink says construction of the new Golden Ears Bridge is on time, scheduled to be completed by the end of June. As a result, the last sailing of the Albion Ferry is scheduled for July 31, 2009. TransLink says the ferry will continue to operate after the opening in order to assist motorists during the transition period.
"The Albion Ferry has been a staple as the main transportation connection between Langley and Maple Ridge, it will be sad to see it go" said Albion Ferry President Dave Miller in a press release.
"The new Golden Ears Bridge will provide an excellent connection between two growing sub-regions and will ultimately serve these communities for a long time," said Miller.
TransLink reports say the Albion Ferry has made approximately eighty trips a day, moving forty-five hundred vehicles, while the new bridge span will have capacity for several thousand vehicles per direction per hour. It will also provide 24 hour/day access and enhanced emergency vehicle access across the river.
The new Golden Ears Bridge is expected to affect 58 full time and 20 auxiliary employees related to the closure of the ferry service.
