March 29, 2016 – B.C. will start rehabilitation work on the south tower of the Lions Gate Bridge to replace the expansion joint in early April.
Acknowledging the traffic delays, which occurred in August 2015 as a result of the Lions Gate “bump”, the ministry has developed a comprehensive plan to keep traffic moving smoothly during this renewal work.
The plan involves installing a temporary bridge cover and two 13-metre approach ramps on either side, so the drive remains smooth for all motorists. As a result, there will be no “bump”, so the flow of traffic will remain efficient and delays minimized.
The rehabilitation work is to replace the south tower expansion joint. This expansion joint has exceeded its design life and components of the existing joint must be removed and replaced with new parts. The total estimated cost of the south tower joint repair project is $1.1 million.
A temporary bridge cover will be constructed over the expansion joint to span the gap that will be open during the repair. The structure will allow sufficient space beneath the bridge deck for the repair work to take place and for crews to work safely. The expansion joint replacement will take up to eight weeks to complete.
The temporary cover and the approach ramps will be installed the weekend of April 2 – 3, 2016, weather dependant.
In February, the ministry completed work on the $7-million Stanley Park Causeway Improvement Project. A new safety fence has been installed separating cyclists and pedestrians from vehicle traffic on both sides of the causeway, and both sidewalks have been widened.
Traffic volume on the Lions Gate Bridge is between 60,000 – 70,000 vehicles per day.
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