Arthur Laing Bridge

The Arthur Laing Bridge is a prestressed concrete structure that spans the Fraser River, linking Vancouver with Richmond and the airport. The four-lane roadway serves nearly 79,000 vehicles daily and includes dedicated shoulders for cyclists.

The Canadian government opened this crossing in August 1975, naming it for Arthur Laing, a former parliamentarian from Vancouver. The structure was built to support growing air traffic and commerce at the expanding airport.

The bridge stands on traditional territories of three First Nations groups: the Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish Nation, and Tsleil-Waututh Nation.

The bridge is accessible to pedestrians and has marked areas for cyclists to cross safely. Morning and evening peak times can bring delays, so traveling at off-peak hours makes the crossing smoother.

In 1981, a Cessna 172 aircraft made an emergency landing on the bridge deck after running out of fuel. This extraordinary event demonstrates how the structure's wide design proved useful in an unexpected crisis.

Location: Richmond

Location: Vancouver

Inception: May 15, 1976

Official opening: August 1975

GPS coordinates: 49.19930,-123.13600

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:49