After 10 years of planning and construction, Port Coquitlam celebrated a new transportation network connecting the city's north and south sides on Saturday with the opening of the Coast Meridian Overpass.
The $135-million cable-stay bridge is the biggest infrastructure project in Port Coquitlam history and is expected to reduce traffic on Lougheed Highway, according to mayor Greg Moore.
"We've been divided by the largest railroad track in British Columbia, we're crossing 35 tracks here to connect our communities together," Moore told CTV News. "People can get to our rec centre faster, get to our libraries and get home from work faster."
"This is a big improvement for all of us in Port Coquitlam."
The public was welcomed to come out and explore the overpass on foot on Saturday morning. It opens to traffic on Sunday.
The four-lane overpass features two bike lanes on each side and a separate pedestrian walkway. It is 580 metres in length and contains more than 4,500 tonnes of steel.
The bulk of the project's budget was paid for by the city, with an additional $60-million grant from TransLink, $2-million from the province and $380,000 from ICBC's road safety program.
"This is the largest infrastructure project in Port Coquitlam history," Moore said.
