A major construction milestone was achieved yesterday as crews completed the deck structure of the Golden Ears Bridge.
The span, which will cross the Fraser River and link Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows to Langley and Surrey, is on schedule to open to traffic by June 30.
The area is currently served by the Albion Ferry.
“The bridge will improve travel times for people, goods and services across the Fraser River, will reduce regional congestion, and will open up access to markets, services, facilities and recreational opportunities,” TransLink CEO Tom Prendergast said of the $808-million structure.
The bridge will be paid for by tolls collected electronically, which will allow drivers to cross the bridge without slowing down. Each lane of traffic will be equipped with electronic sensors and cameras as part of Western Canada’s first electronic tolling system called QuickPass.
Vehicles equipped with transponders will automatically be recorded, while photos will be taken of the licence plates of cars without the devices and their owners will be charged through mail invoices.
