Mission Bridge


The Mission Bridge is a steel girder bridge across the Fraser River, linking the District Of Mission to the City of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. The bridge measures long and carries four lanes of British Columbia Highway 11. The bridge is the only fixed road crossing between Maple Ridge and Agassiz.

History

Before the Mission Bridge was completed, the only link between the City of Abbotsford and the City of Mission was the CPR's Mission Railway Bridge which had wooden planks laid on the ties between the rails, and outside the rails, to allow the passage of automobile traffic. Due to floods in the 1940s and 1950s, the bridge and surrounding area were becoming inaccessible. This was causing damage to Mission's business centre because a large percentage of the revenue in Mission came from Abbotsford. In order to revitalize business, a more permanent solution was needed. The Mission Bridge project was put into action in May, 1969, with the dredging of the Fraser River's banks.
The construction of the bridge was a large undertaking. Construction of the main span occurred between May 1969 and 1972. It included 19 piers, a four-lane highway and pedestrian/bicycle routes adjacent to the main roadway. The total cost of the project was approximately $13,000,000. The Bridge was officially opened on July 11, 1973 by the Premier of British Columbia of the time, Dave Barrett.

Seismic retrofitting

Between 2012 and 2013, the bridge was seismically retrofitted, which included the strengthening of the bridge structure, the installation of a new seismic restraint system, installation of new deck joints, and painting of various components. New cycling railings and cycle approaches valued at $1.5 million were also completed as part of the superstructure improvements.