When will the new bridge open?
The new Port Mann Bridge will be operational with eight lanes by Winter 2012/13. This will be double the westbound capacity of the existing bridge.
When the Port Mann Bridge initially opens, how many lanes will be open to traffic?
The new Port Mann Bridge will be operational and open to traffic with eight lanes by Winter 2012/13. This will be double the westbound capacity of the existing bridge.
When fully complete, the new Port Mann Bridge will have 10 lanes of traffic (five in each direction). This innovative design allows for three through lanes in each direction including one HOV/transit lane and two lanes dedicated for local connections on either side of the river.
To complete construction of the new Port Mann Bridge, the bridge will first open to eight lanes, then the approaches to the existing bridge will be removed and the final two lanes of the new bridge will be complete and opened to traffic.
This staged opening is necessary because there is an overlap between the area currently occupied by the existing Port Mann Bridge and the area to be occupied by the new 10-lane bridge once it is completed. This overlap is at the two approaches – both ends of the bridge.
At the centre, in the main span of the bridge, the bridge is being built to a width of 10 lanes, but at the approaches, the new bridge is being built to a width of 8 lanes because of this overlap with the existing bridge.
The project will be substantially complete in 2013, including the final two lanes of the bridge. Removal of the old bridge will continue through 2014.
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How many lanes will the new bridge have once complete?
The new Port Mann Bridge will be a single 10-lane span, with three through-lanes in each direction (including an HOV/transit lane in each direction) and two lanes in each direction dedicated for local access to and from Surrey and Coquitlam.
Once the new bridge is built, the existing five-lane crossing will be removed.
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Why are two lanes in each direction separated from the rest?
These dedicated lanes in each direction are in place to provide improved connections between Coquitlam and Surrey. Research showed that a significant amount of traffic over the bridge - as much as 30% - is between these two communities rather than as through-traffic.
Separating this traffic into dedicated local connection lanes will reduce traffic weaving on the bridge, reducing congestion and improving safety and efficiency.
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Will there be rapid transit on the bridge?
The new bridge is built to accommodate rapid transit in future. At the opening of the new bridge, a new RapidBus service will be in place to provide transit services connecting the Lougheed SkyTrain Station to the 202 Street Park & Ride in 25 minutes. For more information, please see New Transit Options.
What is the highway 1 RapidBus service?
The new RapidBus service will provide increased transportation choice, with frequent bus service that is as fast or faster than travelling by car.
The RapidBus service will operate between Coquitlam/Burnaby at the Lougheed SkyTrain Station, Surrey and Langley at the new 202 Street Park & Ride.
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Why is the new bridge being tolled?
Tolling is being used to pay for the new Port Mann Bridge and associated highway widening from Vancouver to Langley.
An electronic toll will be in place for vehicles crossing the new bridge. The PMH1 Project will use Open Road Tolling, which is a system that allows customers to drive through without slowing down for toll booths. For more information, please see Tolling.
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How many vehicles currently use the Port Mann Bridge and how many vehicles are expected to use the new bridge after it opens?
The number of vehicles using the Port Mann Bridge fluctuates according to the time of year and the day of the week, with the heaviest traffic occurring in the back to school period of early September. During these peak times, the bridge carries more than 120,000 vehicles per day. On average the bridge carries between 115,000 and 125,000 vehicles per day.
For planning and budgeting purposes, to develop revenue forecasts, a debt repayment schedule and estimates for operations and maintenance requirements, TI Corp has developed traffic forecasts estimating the number of vehicles using the new bridge after it opens.
International traffic forecasting experts Steer Davies Gleave (SDG) has provided traffic analysis for the PMH1 project since 2003. In 2011, SDG completed an updated forecast, which included traffic projections for 2013, 2021 and 2031. The SDG analysis concluded that continued traffic growth should be expected for the Port Mann Bridge that will come largely as a result of existing demand for a congestion-free Fraser River crossing and significant population and regional growth expected over the next 30 years. The SDG analysis projects Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of approximately 230,000 vehicles per day by 2031.
This analysis, which includes comparisons to previous projections, is available at Previous Project Reports.
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Where can I access current or historical data about traffic volumes on the Port Mann Bridge?
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure's Traffic Data Program monitors traffic volumes at locations throughout the province. This information is used by ministry staff to help support planning, design, construction, and operation of the Ministry road network. This information is also used by a wide range of stakeholders including other levels of Government and the general public. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s Traffic Data Program can be found here.
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Where can I find information on the bridge construction like its size, materials being used and other facts?
Please see the Port Mann Bridge project page for information on the bridge construction and key facts.
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Why doesn't the Project twin the existing bridge instead?
Original plans contemplated a new 5-lane bridge to complement the existing structure. During the Port Mann competitive selection process, more than one proponent completed a life cycle analysis that recommended a single 10-lane bridge, rather than a twinned 5-lane configuration.
The analysis reviewed the incremental costs associated with constructing a new 10-lane bridge and the costs associated with maintaining the existing bridge for another 40 years.
The review concluded that a new bridge saves almost $200 million in avoided seismic upgrades and operations, maintenance and rehabilitation costs.
Conversely, the incremental costs of building a new 10-lane bridge (instead of a new 5-lane bridge for the twinning option) were estimated at $180 million. The result is a net savings to the province over the long term that makes financial sense. It should also be noted that a new 10-lane bridge avoids the need to replace the existing bridge at the end of it serviceable life, which would come at an additional cost and significant inconvenience and traffic disruption during its replacement.
The competitive selection process involved a thorough analysis of the proposals submitted by the three short-listed proponents. That review and analysis resulted in a proposal for a 10-lane bridge being selected as the best available option.
For more information about the Port Mann competitive selection process, please see the project report compiled by Partnerships BC.
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What is the design life of the new Port Mann Bridge and how does this compare to the design life of the current bridge?
The new Port Mann Bridge will have a design and service life of a minimum of 75 years.
The design life of the current bridge, built in 1964, was 50 years.
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What plans are being considered for future use of the existing Port Mann Bridge?
Current plans are to remove and recycle the steel. This is consistent with the February 2009 application to the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office.
These plans reflect the fact that significant portions of the old bridge must be removed to make way for the new 10-lane bridge.
The Project Team has determined that following removal of those portions of the current bridge, it would not be safe or structurally sound to retain any remaining portions for alternative uses such as a linear park or a pedestrian crossing. The new bridge will include a three metre wide multi-use path for use by cyclists and pedestrians wishing to cross the bridge.
The project is currently preparing an environmental application to deconstruct and remove the remaining spans of the existing bridge. This application will include TI Corp's analysis of alternate uses of the existing span.
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What will be the free alternative to the Port Mann Bridge?
In accordance with the Provincial Tolling Policy, the new Port Mann Bridge must have at least one free alternative. In fact, several options are available to travellers who don't want to travel on the tolled crossing.
The new South Fraser Perimeter Road, which will provide fast and convenient access to the Pattullo Bridge as well as the Alex Fraser Bridge and George Massey Tunnel.
Construction of the new South Fraser Perimeter Road between 176 Street and the Pattullo Bridge is now underway and it will be available for use on opening day of the new bridge.
The new South Fraser Perimeter Road will provide travellers with convenient access to the Pattullo Bridge and drivers that rejoin Highway 1 at Brunette Avenue will be no worse off than if they were to take the currently congested Port Mann Bridge.
Drivers using the South Fraser Perimeter Road and the Alex Fraser Bridge will be able to do so in about the same amount of time it currently takes to travel the existing Port Mann Bridge.
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Will a tolled Port Mann Bridge increase traffic volumes on other bridges?
Analysis conducted during the comprehensive Program Definition phase of the project indicated that while there may be some changes in bridge choice at the individual user level, on balance, a widened and tolled Port Mann Bridge would result in no significant increase in traffic on other bridge crossings, with the exception of the Pattullo Bridge in the off-peak direction (e.g. eastbound in the morning rush) where there currently is some excess capacity.
For more information, please see the analysis of tolling in the Project Environmental Assessment Application.
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