LIONS GATE BRIDGE

Description

Essentials about Lions Gate Bridge in brief

Visible from afar from many points in Vancouver, Lions Gate Bridge is one of the landmarks of the western Canadian metropolis. The suspension bridge, officially called “First Narrows Bridge,” spans the fjord of Burrard Inlet at a narrow point and connects Vancouver with the two districts of North Vancouver and West Vancouver located on the north side of the Inlet. The bridge’s name refers to the twin peaks of The Lions in the North Shore Mountains. Those who cross the bridge on foot are rewarded with a magnificent view of Vancouver, Burrard Inlet and the North Shore Mountains.

The structure of Lions Gate Bridge

With a total length (including the viaduct) of 1,823 meters, Lions Gate Bridge is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. Its pylons are 111 meters high, and the roadway is at a height of 61 meters. Depending on the traffic volume, the use of the middle of the three lanes can be flexibly arranged with traffic lights. Over 60,000 vehicles use the bridge per day.

The history of Lions Gate Bridge

The Idea for Lions Gate Bridge

The idea of bridging the narrows of Burrard Inlet first emerged at the end of the 19th century. However, there was massive resistance to the construction of a bridge, as it was feared that the landscape of Stanley Park, which borders on the south side, would be destroyed and that the busy shipping traffic would be severely restricted. The first project was therefore rejected in a referendum in 1927. The second vote in 1933, on the other hand, was successful.

The construction of Lions Gate Bridge

Without the Irish brewery family Guinness, the bridge construction project would probably not have come about. Guinness had a great interest in the construction of the bridge because the company had acquired a 16-square-meter area in West Vancouver and wanted to develop it. Thus, the brewing company was also willing to pay for the construction costs of the bridge. After lengthy negotiations with the federal government, the construction permit was issued with the stipulation that as much material as possible be used from Vancouver and that local labor be used to alleviate unemployment during the Great Depression.

Construction began in the spring of 1937 and after a record construction period of only one and a half years, Lions Gate Bridge was opened to traffic in November 1938. In the early years, the bridge was subject to tolls. In 1955, the province of British Columbia purchased the bridge from the Guinness family and finally lifted the toll in 1963.

The renewal of Lions Gate Bridge

In the early 1990s, the provincial administration was faced with the choice of either comprehensively renovating the aging bridge or demolishing it. Proposals included building a parallel bridge, boring a tunnel from downtown to the north shore, or adding a second deck. Since the City of Vancouver did not want additional traffic and the provincial government was not willing to spend a lot of money, it was decided to rebuild the existing bridge and not build additional lanes. The reconstruction work took place in 2000 and 2001. As part of this, the individual roadway girder segments were replaced with wider ones and both the lanes and the footpaths were widened. If you are in the mood, you can cross Lions Gate Bridge on foot and you will be rewarded for your efforts with a magnificent view of Vancouver in the south, Burrard Inlet and the North Shore Mountains in the north.