Pattullo Bridge Arch Removed Between Surrey and New Westminster

The orange steel arch that defined the old Pattullo Bridge’s profile over the Fraser River has come down, lowered onto barges during a long-weekend operation that marked a dramatic stage in the crossing’s deconstruction.

Crews removed the arch from the 1937-built bridge over Oct. 9 to 11. Cutting and separation began Friday, and the lowering was completed early Sunday, Oct. 11, after roughly 48 to 60 hours of work.

A carefully managed lowering

The removal required four large strand jacks, hydraulic winching systems used to lower the steel arch onto barges below. Temporary bracing and beams supported the arch as crews brought it down from its former position over the river.

The barges will transport the arch for dismantling and recycling, while deconstruction continues on the rest of the old crossing.

The work also reshaped movement on the Fraser River for the weekend. The main navigation channel was temporarily closed, while the domestic navigation channel remained open to marine traffic with suitable height clearance.

For people watching from the shore, the operation offered a striking view of a bridge that had long been part of the local landscape. Reporting from the removal described sparks falling from cutting work as the central structure was separated and lowered toward the waiting barges.

A bridge leaves the skyline

The old Pattullo Bridge closed to traffic in February 2026 after the new stal̕əw̓asəm, or Riverview, Bridge opened. Its deconstruction has continued since then, but the loss of the orange arch is among the most visible changes yet.

For some in New Westminster and Surrey, the bridge’s role was never only practical.

Laura Grady, executive director of Arts New West, said the crossing had inspired “poetry, visual art and storytelling” while connecting communities. “We’re going to miss it,” she said. “We’re going to miss being able to capture it.”

The changing bridge area also remains a live issue for businesses and residents navigating the broader project. New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone said the city has worked to keep people informed amid closures and detours connected to road changes around the new crossing.

“Don’t rely on your GPS when you’re trying to get to the Pattullo [Bridge],” Johnstone said.

Alex Jopson, president of the Sapperton Business Collective, said local businesses have not been heavily affected, though concerns about disruption remain. “If you could snap your fingers and make it done tomorrow, that would be the ideal situation,” he said.

More work remains

Lowering the arch is a major milestone, but it is not the end of the old Pattullo Bridge’s removal. Full demolition and deconstruction are expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

Until then, the bridge’s disappearance will continue in stages: a familiar piece of steel now on barges, bound for recycling, and a changed Fraser River skyline left behind.

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