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Throwback: Major bridge project to ease congestion

The crossing averages over 100,000 vehicles daily
model-of-knight-street-bridge-1972
A scale model of the new Knight Street Bridge and interchange in the early 1970s.

Let’s head back to the summer of 1972 when work was already underway for a new bridge project that was to significantly ease traffic congestion between Vancouver and Richmond.

The Knight Street Bridge was designed by CBA Engineering of Vancouver for the British Columbia Department of Highways.  Originally estimated at $12 million, the bridge would replace the old Fraser Street crossing which was built in 1905.

It was the second cantilever bridge in North America to use cast-in-place segments.

In August 1972, Knight Street was close north of Marine Drive for the start of construction of the Marine Drive Interchange to the bridge, a closure that lasted about five months.

Plans were also underway to extend Knight Street south to Westminster Highway.

Named after Robert Knight, a property owner in South Vancouver, the project had its grand opening in January 1974.

TransLink now owns and maintains the crossing.

A rehabilitation project is ongoing and expected to continue until the end of this year. Drivers can continue to expect overnight single-lane closures.