VANCOUVER – The Thanksgiving long weekend signaled the end of an era for B.C.’s infrastructure as crews removed and hauled away the iconic steel arch of the Pattullo Bridge from Oct. 9 to 11.
The operation took approximately 48 to 60 hours to complete and involved lowering the arch onto a barge on the Fraser River and then transporting it to a designated project site for further dismantling and recycling. Residents could see the work from several points along the river, including at Brownsville Bar Park in Surrey, Westminster Pier Park and Albert Crescent Park in New Westminster.
Crews carefully lowered the steel structure onto the barges using specialized hydraulic linear winch systems known as strand jacks, according to a provincial government fact sheet. The operation proceeded under detailed deconstruction engineering plans that had been reviewed by independent third-party engineering firms.
Preparations included removing concrete elements in an effort to reduce the total weight of the arch. On the steel structure, temporary bracing and beams were put up for stability during the lowering and dismantling operation.
Fraser Crossing Partners, the provincial government’s contractor on the $1.637-billion Pattullo Bridge replacement project, is doing the deconstruction. The program includes the construction of a new stal̕əw̓asəm (Riverview) Bridge crossing to replace existing infrastructure.
Fraser Crossing Partners is a 50/50 joint venture by Aecon and Acciona. The partnership is responsible for the design and construction of the new crossing and will provide some of the project’s funding.
Deconstruction began in February 2026 and the entire process is expected to be finished by the end of 2027. “The removal of the steel arch is a vital step in the transition from the historic Pattullo Bridge to the new bridge.
