Bridge connecting New West and Coquitlam closed indefinitely

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NEW WESTMINSTER (NEWS1130) – The single lane wooden bridge connecting Braid St and United Boulevard, which already had a weight restriction in place, and is now closed completely after an inspection by New Westminster engineers found structural problems.

The main truss that supports the bridge has split.  Further inspections are set for Tuesday.

That won’t help drivers says New West Councillor Chuck Puchmayr.

“It’s tough getting in and out of there now without problems with the Bailey Bridge. It’s going to be gridlock in that industrial park,” explains Puckmayr.

“It is a choke point because there is a four lane truck route on the north side of the Fraser,” says Port Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart.

“From my perspective it’s rather unusual to go from carrying trucks one day to shutting it down for cars the next day, so I assume catastrophic failure.”

New West engineers will re evaluate the bridge Tuesday, and no options have been ruled out including a full replacement.

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