Construction begins soon on Vancouver's Granville Bridge upgrade. Here's what to expect.
Crews are scheduled to begin upgrade work on Vancouver's Granville Bridge next week, but officials are promising the impacts on traffic will be minimal.
The $50 million project will see the onramp and offramp on the busy crossing's north side demolished to make room for more development downtown, and to increase accessibility for both pedestrians and cyclists.
There will also be a separated bike lane installed on the west side of the bridge, similar to the one on the Burrard Bridge.
KEEPING TRAFFIC MOVING
Paul Storer, Vancouver's director of transportation, said the city is not anticipating "significant traffic congestion" in either direction as a result of the upgrade work, which is expected to be completed in fall 2024.
"Traffic's still going to flow into and out of downtown," Storer told reporters at a briefing Wednesday. "Because we have quite a wide bridge, we're going to be able to keep two lanes open each way during construction."
The crossing is busier than either the Burrard or Cambie bridges, according to the city, accommodating around 65,000 vehicles per day prior to the pandemic. While usage has not quite returned to normal, Storer said it is close.
"All of that traffic can more or less fit into two lanes,” he added. “It would be tight, but essentially two lanes could hold the traffic.”
The onramps and offramps on the Granville Bridge are a relic of the city's original plan to have a freeway run through the downtown core, which was scuttled 50 years ago in the face of public outcry.
Storer said the ramps don't "allow for good urban development," and assured drivers they would still have easy access to the bridge after the ones on the downtown end are removed.
"Drivers heading west on Pacific (Street) can still get onto the bridge, but instead of doing it through a highway-style ramp they would do it through three right turns," he said.
CONSTRUCTION PHASES
The city is breaking up construction into several phases, easing into the project using lessons learned from the Burrard Bridge upgrade, Storer said.
The east offramp to Seymour Street will be closed this winter, followed by the west onramp from Howe Street in the spring. A temporary Granville Street closure will be implemented, with a detour, from summer into fall.
Sidewalks on both sides of the bridge and both north-side ramps will remain open "as much as possible" throughout the upgrade work, the city said in a news release.
Vancouver owns the land underneath the ramps, and Storer said it would be eventually used for "social housing and a number of other city priorities."
The cost of removing the ramps accounts for the bulk of the project's budget, at $31 million, with the remaining $19 million going to the new bike lane and pedestrian path, both of which will be connected to the Arbutus Greenway.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Israel closes Gaza crossing after Hamas attack and vows military operation 'in the very near future'
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza on Sunday after Hamas militants attacked it, reportedly wounding several Israelis, while the defense minister warned of "a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza."
Denial and uncertainty are looming over a Biden-Trump rematch 6 months out from U.S. Election Day
Exactly six months before Election Day, Biden and Trump are locked in the first contest in 112 years with a current and former president competing for the White House. It's a race that is at once deeply entrenched and highly in flux as many voters are only just beginning to embrace the reality of the 2024 campaign.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Chemical spill could be cause of stinky water in Puslinch, Ont., new report says
People living in Puslinch, Ont. may have the answer to why their water smelled so bad last year.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
Should you save or splurge on makeup this summer?
If you're wondering whether you should splurge or save when it comes to buying skincare products and makeup this summer, we got some answers for you.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.