New bridge concept or Pattullo pipe dream? Politicians pitch park instead of demolition

The historic Pattullo Bridge is slated to be torn down, but some are pushing to give the crossing a new lease on life.

The historic Pattullo Bridge—a Fraser River crossing that connected Surrey and New Westminster for nearly 90 years—is now closed to the public and slated for demolition. But several local politicians are calling on the province to reconsider, arguing the structure could be transformed into a public destination rather than torn down.

“Let’s make it a tourist attraction,” said Surrey councillor and mayoral candidate Linda Annis.

Annis believes a refurbished Pattullo could become Metro Vancouver’s answer to New York’s High Line, the linear park built atop a former elevated rail line.

“I would see it as a place for events to take place, for people to cycle, to walk, to enjoy the views. I would see gardens there. It’s got so many opportunities,” Annis told CTV News.

New Westminster Coun. Paul Minhas has also voiced support, even creating an AI rendering imagining what a reimagined Pattullo could look like.

“There’s going to be a massive cost figure to take the bridge down. Is there not a way to put that money toward upgrading it?” Minhas said.

The province briefly opened the Pattullo for one last public walk this past weekend, drawing crowds walking, cycling—even horseback riding—across the aging span.

New Westminster councillor and mayoral candidate Daniel Fontaine says the turnout showed what a repurposed bridge might have offered the region.

“For a fleeting moment, it showcased what could have been had it been repurposed—how much of an attraction it would have been from a tourism perspective and as a regional draw,” said Fontaine, who helped organize public forums several years ago on the future of the Pattullo.

While Fontaine and Minhas admit any change of course from the province is highly unlikely, they believe tearing the bridge down is a missed opportunity.

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, however, strongly opposes keeping the bridge, citing both safety concerns and what she calls its dark past.

“It has been a bridge I don’t think has had a positive image in our region,” said Locke. “Certainly, we’ve seen some real tragedies at the Pattullo Bridge. It is time to say goodbye to the Pattullo Bridge and retire it.”

Ministry of Transportation and Transit statement

According to the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, the Pattullo Bridge faces significant structural challenges due to its age. Those include delaminating concrete, river scour around the foundations, piers not designed to withstand collisions with marine vessels, and seismic and wind‑load thresholds that do not meet modern standards.

The ministry says the new stal̕əw̓asəm (Riverview) Bridge is built to current seismic and structural requirements to maintain this critical connection between Surrey and New Westminster. It adds that parts of the Pattullo must be removed to complete construction, including connecting new ramps and multi‑use paths.

Demolition is expected to take about two years.