Just how long will the 110-year-old bridge still be in service?
That’s what Delta council wants to know when it comes to the Westham Island Bridge, raising the question last week during discussions on TransLink’s latest rehabilitation work.
Engineering director Steven Lan, noting the bridge underwent major rehabilitation that required closures over the past couple of years, said he was given no information on what the transit authority thinks will be the remaining lifespan for the structure.
Council agreed with a motion from Coun. Lois Jackson to get a report from TransLink on the long-term plan for the bridge and a possible replacement in the future.
“I’m very concerned that one day we’re going to wake up and that bridge is going to be non-operable and we’ll have to put a ferry in or something for the farmers,” said Jackson.
TransLink’s latest work this month included timber deck and railing repair and scour protection rehabilitation on the west approach.
As one of its oldest assets, the 325-metre-long bridge requires regular repairs and maintenance to ensure it remains operational and safe, according to TransLink.
A 1913 photo from the Delta Archives of the Westham Island Bridge, showing the British America Cannery on south shore.
