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TransLink says building a temporary bridge to connect Westham Island to the rest of Delta, B.C., while the regular one undergoes weeks-long repairs from a marine vessel strike is not possible.
Westham Island is located just west of Delta’s Ladner neighbourhood and is home to a number of farms, the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary and the Alaksen National Wildlife Area.
The one-lane wooden truss bridge on and off the island — which is the only link to the largely rural community — has been closed to cars since last week due to a marine vessel hitting the bridge.
In a statement on Tuesday evening, bridge owner TransLink said the strike had damaged a critical section of the bridge and it would be impossible for the structure to support a temporary solution.
“Detailed inspections show that Pier 5, one of the bridge’s primary support structures, was severely impacted in the collision,” the statement read.
“This shifted parts of the bridge out of alignment and damaged the bearing that connects the bridge deck to the pier.”
The statement added that the planned repair work includes temporarily lifting a section of the bridge and reconnecting the pier to the bridge structure. No exact timeline has been provided for that work.
WATCH | Closure affecting life on Westham Island:
Westham Island, B.C., residents say bridge closure is affecting daily life and work
TransLink says the Westham Island Bridge in Delta will be closed to vehicles indefinitely after a vessel strike caused significant damage. The route is the only way residents can leave the island for groceries, medical appointments and work deliveries. As Janella Hamilton reports, residents are also under a boil-water advisory.
The statement said that, while the bridge is currently open to pedestrians, access will be fully closed at some point during the repair process.
When that happens, water taxi services will be provided and emergency access will be maintained, TransLink said.
It said it’s working with funding partners to create a 2027 investment plan, which would likely fund the construction of a new Westham Island Bridge.
“Early replacement planning is underway, including engineering design work,” TransLink said in its statement.
No temporary bridge
A free and accessible shuttle bus service between the bridge and the nearby Ladner bus exchange has been running since last week, in addition to a free shuttle on the island itself.
The service runs daily from 6 a.m. to midnight.
Island residents told CBC News over the weekend that the bridge closure, and uncertain repair timelines, would significantly affect farming operations that rely on the bridge for supplies.
Acting Delta mayor Dylan Kruger shared a photo on social media showing splintered timbers on a structure under the bridge way. (Dylan Kruger/X)
The wooden truss bridge is over 115 years old, a TransLink spokesperson told CBC News.
In its Tuesday statement, the transit authority said that a barge strike to the bridge in 1969 led to a temporary bridge being installed within days.
However, the statement said that the damage in that case was limited to the bridge deck and the underlying supports were strong enough to support a temporary stretch.
“In this case, Pier 5 — a critical support — has been compromised. This affects how loads are carried over the structure, and the foundation at that location cannot be assumed to be safe,” the statement read.
“Because a [temporary] bridge still requires sound supports, installing a temporary span would not address the underlying structural issue.”
TSB investigating
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is investigating the vessel collision.
It said the vessel that hit the bridge was a tug named Quadrant Partner, and that the company that owns it is based in Coquitlam.
On its website, Quadrant Towing lists the Quadrant Partner as a 70-foot (21-metre) long shallow draft tug.
In a phone call with CBC News, the company said it would not comment on the incident until the investigation concluded.