News Roads & Bridges
Simon Fraser Bridge modernization to begin this month

Work will begin this month on an upgrade to the southbound Simon Fraser Bridge.

The project will extend the life of the important highway that serves as a connection for people in Prince George, British Columbia and the surrounding region. The bridge work will also improve reliability for the nearly 18,000 vehicles that make the crossing daily.

The upgrade to the Simon Fraser Bridge includes full deck replacement and strengthening of the truss. As well, the bridge’s north abutment will be replaced, increasing current underpass height restrictions and allow taller transport trucks to pass underneath.

Other work on the bridge includes widening shoulders and replacing the existing railings on both sides with crash-tested bridge barriers.

RELATED: B.C.’s top transportation contractors awarded

The original Simon Fraser Bridge was built in 1963 and, as part of Highway 97, serves the main north-south route through Prince George. In 2009, the bridge was twinned, with the completion of an adjacent two-lane bridge bringing four-lane capacity to the crossing.

The project budget for this work is $20.5 million. British Columbia has awarded the contract to Prince George-based Ruskin Construction Ltd. Project completion is scheduled for late 2022. During construction, the crossing will be reduced to two-lane traffic using the northbound structure.

The Simon Fraser Bridge is a key link for the northern supply chain. The upgrades to the deck and the increased height clearance of the underpass will improve the movement of commercial goods into the north, feeding the vital transportation and forestry sectors in the local area, as well as the mining, and oil and gas sectors further north.

Simon Fraser Bridge modernization Benefits

• Full deck replacement and strengthening of the truss,
• replacement of the north abutment to improve the current underpass height restrictions,
• replacement of the railing on both sides of the bridge for improved safety
• adjustments to the deck configuration to increase the width of the traveling lanes.