The old Capilano Bridge that currently carries two lanes of traffic westbound between the Lions Gate Bridge and Taylor Way will be replaced with a three-lane structure as part of the Marine Drive Transit Priority Project announced in April 2009.

Construction of the new bridge will begin in Spring 2010. During construction, traffic will cross the Capilano River using the existing bridge on a temporary detour alignment just a few metres north of the current crossing. The bridge will be physically moved to the detour alignment in a weekend operation in April 2010, following the Winter Olympic Games. Preparatory work, such as the construction of a temporary pier on the island in the middle of the river, as well as abutments on both riverbanks, will begin in August 2009. Once the new bridge is completed and in service, the old bridge will be removed and the area will be rehabilitated.

The new three-lane bridge will reduce congestion between the Lions Gate Bridge and Taylor Way and support Marine Drive transit priority initiatives of TransLink, the District of West Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver. These initiatives will include transit priority signals at the Marine Drive/Capilano Road and Marine Drive/Taylor Way intersections, as well as extension of transit-only lanes east of Capilano Road and West of Taylor Way. When completed, the improvements will result in reduced travel time and improved schedule reliability for the 95 North Shore buses (12 routes) that use Marine Drive and the Lions Gate Bridge during peak traffic periods.

Total project cost, including the future transit-only lanes, is estimated at approximately $40 million, cost-shared by the Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada under the $290 million Infrastructure Stimulus Fund.

Project Announcement
(News Release)

Download the Fact Sheet