While TransLink prepares to catch pieces of the Pattullo Bridge which have been plummeting towards the ground and water, some local councilors are renewing their call for a new bridge.

According to TransLink, who operates the bridge, the 77-year-old structure has been dropping fist-sized and smaller pieces of concrete on the roads and river below, sparking concern for the safety of people travelling underneath.

Scaffolding has been put in place and TransLink has plans to hang netting in six different places underneath the bridge running from New Westminster to Surrey to catch the debris.

“The actual bridge is very sound structurally,” said Sany Zein, director of infrastructure for TransLink. “The falling concrete is a matter of weather and old age.

“ We know that the bridge would struggle in the event of a seismic event, but it is a safe bridge. We wouldn’t keep it open otherwise.”

Surrey councillor Tom Gill says with TransLink already spending $4 million studying the bridge, the time has come to move ahead with replacing it.

“Surrey has endorsed a six-lane bridge,” Gill said. “ We keep bickering with New Westminster in the sense of being able to actually identify what the issues are and find a solution.”

New Westminster councillor Jonathan Cote says what is holding up the process of agreeing on either replacing the bridge or refurbishing it is “Surrey’s obsession with massively expanding the capacity of the Pattullo Bridge. “Plain and simple our road network in New Westminster can’t handle any more traffic.”

Cote said that while no official studies have been conducted, anecdotally he has noticed an increase in traffic since the Port Mann Bridge’s tolls increased in January.

“I’ve received numerous emails from residents all across the city in all neighbourhoods saying that there’s been an impact in their neighbourhoods since January, “ he said.

TransLink says the netting will be in place by April but a decision on the future of the Pattullo bridge won’t be reached until the fall.

With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Mi-Jung Lee.