November 2025 – The New Pattullo Bridge Is Finally Taking Shape: Here’s When and How It Will Open

Sources: Daily Hive, The Pattulo Bridge Replacement website

If you’ve driven past the new Pattullo Bridge lately and wondered how on earth it could possibly open by year’s end, you’re not alone. The massive structure stretching over the Fraser River still looks like a work in progress, with cranes, scaffolding, and crews moving nonstop. But despite appearances, the project has entered its final stages, and the plan is officially set: the bridge will open this winter, gradually, and in four phases.

Where Things Stand Now
Construction crews have hit a big milestone: all 80 cables and the final steel girders of the bridge deck are in place. Asphalt paving has already begun on some sections. But even with that progress, plenty remains to be done — road connections, ramps, and demolition work tied to the old bridge all need time.
Because of that, the province will open the new bridge in stages, starting with a partial opening by Christmas 2025.

A New Name, A New Era
Before drivers officially cross the new span, the government will also reveal its Indigenous name, written in the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language. It will not carry forward the name of Thomas Dufferin Pattullo, the B.C. Premier during the Depression and WWII.

Phase 1: Partial Opening (December 2025)
The opening will begin with a temporary traffic setup:
Westbound vehicles will move onto the new bridge.
Eastbound traffic will stay on the old bridge for a few more weeks.
The Royal Avenue on-ramp will close temporarily while crews finish connecting the New Westminster road network.
Expect a short full closure of both bridges that month as workers make the final tie-ins on both sides. The province promises the bridge will be open to vehicles just before Christmas.
Once it does:
The new bridge will link directly to McBride Boulevard, with a new off-ramp to East Columbia Street.
On the Surrey side, it will connect to King George Boulevard.

Phase 2: Full Traffic Shift (January 2026)
By early January 2026, the old Pattullo Bridge, after 88 years of service, will close for good. Eastbound vehicles will then join westbound traffic on the new bridge, making it the sole crossing in use.

Phase 3: Final Road Connections (Early 2026)
To finish the project, crews need to demolish sections of the old bridge that overlap the new ramps. That means:
Columbia Street will close for about a month to allow demolition and construction of a new loop on-ramp.
Front Street will close for up to six months while crews remove old bridge sections above the rail lines.
In Surrey, Highway 17 and Bridge Road will see nighttime and weekend closures for similar demolition and new ramp work.

Phase 4: Pedestrian & Cycling Paths + Off-Ramp to Highway 17 (Mid-2026)
By mid-2026, the final connections, including the Highway 17 off-ramp and dedicated pedestrian and cycling lanes, will open, marking the bridge’s complete functionality.
Demolition of the old bridge will continue into 2027, both above water and below. The underwater foundations are expected to be fully removed by mid-2027, closing the last chapter on the nearly century-old structure.

How We Got Here
Construction on the new bridge began in spring 2021 with an initial target of late 2023. The pandemic, restricted work windows for in-river construction, and other factors pushed the timeline and the budget from $1.38 billion to $1.64 billion.
Unlike its predecessor, the new Pattullo Bridge will be owned and operated by the provincial government, not TransLink. The old bridge had become a major safety concern: narrow lanes, no centre divider, and aging steel made it highly vulnerable to earthquakes, wind, or even a ship strike.
By 2020, TransLink had already installed emergency gates and warning systems to stop vehicles from entering if a disaster struck. Engineers warned it needed to be fully decommissioned by mid-decade, prompting the accelerated replacement.

A Bridge Built for the Future
Not everyone is thrilled about the new span being four lanes, just like the old one. Surrey officials pushed for six lanes to handle South Fraser’s growth, while New Westminster wanted to limit local traffic impact.
Still, the new bridge offers wider lanes, a central barrier, and smoother connections, including the new Highway 17 westbound off-ramp. And while it opens as a four-lane structure, it’s built to expand to six lanes in the future, by narrowing the existing lanes and adding cantilevered paths for pedestrians and cyclists.

In Short
Partial opening: December 2025
Full traffic shift: January 2026
Final ramps & pathways: Mid-2026
Old bridge removal: Through 2027
After nearly nine decades, the original Pattullo will soon disappear, replaced by a safer, stronger, and more modern link between Surrey and New Westminster.

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Tags: Pattullo Bridge opening timeline, Pattullo Bridge replacement project, new bridge Fraser River, Surrey to New Westminster traffic updates, BC bridge construction news.