Pattullo Bridge

Pattullo Bridge is a steel crossing over the Fraser River in New Westminster, linking both banks with four narrow lanes. The structure uses continuous steel trusses that extend from the arch over the river's center to the flat deck sections at either end.

William George Swan designed this steel structure, which opened in November 1937 after being built by the Dominion Bridge Company from Montreal. It replaced a ferry that had connected both riverbanks before and became the first fixed crossing at this spot.

Named after Thomas Dufferin Pattullo, a former premier of British Columbia, the bridge links two communities that trace their roots to the timber and fishing industries along the Fraser. Drivers use it daily to commute between the older neighborhoods on the north bank and the sprawling residential areas to the south.

The four lanes run narrow without any shoulder space, so drivers should stay alert and maintain steady speed. During heavy rain or wind, the deck becomes slippery and it helps to keep extra distance from other vehicles.

The steel trusses feature rivet connections that were hammered in by hand during assembly in the nineteen thirties. This technique gives the structure a distinct pattern of rounded heads along the length of each girder, which modern welded bridges no longer show.

Location: British Columbia

Inception: November 15, 1937

Official opening: 1937

GPS coordinates: 49.20760,-122.89500

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:29