Pedestrian access to the Westham Island Bridge will be suspended beginning Wednesday morning until further notice to expedite repairs to the link between the Delta island and the mainland, TransLink says.
TransLink says ‘significant’ repairs are needed after a barge struck the 116-year-old bridge on Jan. 20. Vehicle traffic was suspended immediately but pedestrians were allowed to be escorted over the bridge.
That will no longer be the case.
Mayor George Harvie tells 1130 NewsRadio he has been speaking with residents on the island who have said the inconvenience is the price to pay for swift repairs.
“Residents on a whole would rather see it be done quickly, then not,” he says.
“We’ve reached a point where crews need continuous access to maintain safe work zones and avoid repeated stops and starts,” Anita Bathe, a spokesperson for TransLink says.
TransLink says the closure will remain in place for several weeks and until further notice.
During that time, crews will work to stabilize the bridge which will require pile driving. Pile driving is used to stable foundations and is noisy. TransLink says that work will start Wednesday and will occur intermittently.
The City of Delta has amended noise bylaws to allow for overnight construction.
“This is a complex project and, as conditions and plans shift regularly, some impacts may arise on short notice,” TransLink says. “As the next phase of work progresses, more accurate timelines will be shared.”
Mayor Harvie says there is some concern that repairs will take longer than expected, especially for farmers who rely on transporting goods to and from the mainland.
“Their anxiety is high, as is expected,” he says. “We’re trying to do everything possible to make the businesses there viable.”
Bathe says TransLink has given $1.2 million to the City of Delta to help provide access to barges for farmers to deliver their protect across the water.
The precautionary boil water advisory that was put in place on Jan. 23 has now been lifted.
The mayor says he will be requesting the Mayor’s Council to support a motion he will be tabling asking TransLink to make the bridge repairs a top priority.
Bathe says TransLink is doing everything it can to get the repairs done as soon as possible, but there are many factors to consider.
“Soil conditions, tides, weather conditions,” she says, “Every time those piles go into the sand and soil in the water, we have to make sure that they are completely secure, and that can take several attempts which can also delay the work.”
In the meantime, those who need to travel on and off the island will have access to a 24/7 water taxi service.
TransLink says the service will travel between 4888 Savage Rd. on the island and Wellington Point Park on the mainland. The trip takes between 10 to 15 minutes depending on the conditions.
More information regarding access to the water taxi service can be found on the TransLink website.
