Lions Gate Bridge
The Lions Gate Bridge (officially known as the First Narrows Bridge[1]) (49°18′55″N 123°8′18″W / 49.31528°N 123.13833°W) is a suspension bridge that crosses the first narrows of Burrard Inlet and connects the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, to the North Shore municipalities of the District of North Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, and West Vancouver. The total length of the bridge including the north viaduct is 1,823 metres (5,890 feet). The length including approach spans is 1,517.3 m (4,978 ft), the main span alone is 472 m (1,550 ft), the tower height is 111 m (364 ft), and it has a ship's clearance of 61 m (200 ft). Prospect Point in Stanley Park offered a good high south end to the bridge, but the low flat delta land to the north required construction of the extensive North Viaduct.
The bridge has three reversible lanes, the use of which is indicated by signals. The centre lane changes direction to accommodate for traffic patterns. The traffic volume on the bridge is 60,000 - 70,000 vehicles per day. Trucks exceeding 13 tonnes are prohibited, as are vehicles using studded tires.
The bridge forms part of BC provincial highways 99 (File:Bc99.png) and 1A (File:Bc1a.png).
History
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Starting in about 1890, bridge builders foresaw the possibility that a bridge across the first narrows would open up. There were a number who argued against the construction of the bridge, as many felt it would ruin Stanley Park, or cause problems for the busy seaport, or that it would take toll revenue away from the Second Narrows Bridge. However, many also saw it as necessary in order to open up development on the North Shore and it was felt that these problems could be overcome. The decision was put to the electorate of Vancouver in 1927, but the first plebiscite was defeated and the idea was put to rest for a short while.
James Towle Taylor, who had been part of this previous proposal and still owned the provincial franchise to build a bridge, had an opportunity but not the finances to purchase large sections of property in North Vancouver and West Vancouver. He was able to interest the Guinness family (of the Irish beer fame) in investing in the land on the north shore of Burrard Inlet. They purchased 4,000 acres (16 km²) of West Vancouver mountainside through a syndicate called British Pacific Properties Ltd. This put momentum behind the construction of a bridge.
On December 13 1933, a second plebiscite was held and this time, the idea to allow the bridge to be constructed was passed by a 2:1 margin. After considerable further negotiations with the Federal government, approval was finally gained with the requirement to use Vancouver materials and workmen as much as possible to provide employment during the Great Depression.
The bridge was designed by the Montreal firm Monsarrat and Pratley, which was later responsible for the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge in Halifax, Nova Scotia using a similar design.
Construction of the bridge began on March 31, 1937. After one and a half years of construction, it was opened to traffic on November 14 1938 at a cost of $5,873,837.17 (CAD). A toll of 25 cents was charged for each car.
The bridge was originally constructed as a two-lane bridge, but when traffic increased, the road was repainted into three lanes. The third lane was originally a passing lane, but eventually lane control signage was added and it was used for traffic flow.
On January 20, 1955, the Guinness family sold the bridge to the province for $5,959,060, and in 1963, the tolls were removed from the bridge. Overhead lane control signals were installed, enabling traffic in the centre lane to be directed at will.
In 1975, the deteriorating north viaduct was replaced with a lighter, wider, and stronger steel deck with wider lanes. This was carried out in sections using a series of short closures of the bridge; each time, one old section was lowered from the bridge and its replacement was put into place.
In 1986 the Guinness family, as a gift to Vancouver, purchased decorative lights that make it a distinctive nighttime landmark.
By the 1990s, it was time for the bridge to be either significantly upgraded or replaced. A number of different proposals were considered including building a new bridge beside the existing bridge, building a tunnel from downtown to the north shore, or double decking the existing bridge. However, none of the proposals could overcome the City of Vancouver's objections to any increase in traffic into the downtown core and the province's unwillingness to spend much money on the project. In the end the decision was to upgrade the existing bridge without adding any new lanes.
Traffic was finding the 2.84 metre wide lanes narrow, and the sidewalks were inadequate for pedestrians and cyclists. As a result, the main bridge deck was replaced in 2000 and 2001. As with the earlier work, this was facilitated by a series of separate closures to replace one section at a time. The old section would be lowered to a barge, and the new one raised into place and connected. The change allowed the two pedestrian walkways to be moved to the outside of the structure and the road lanes were accordingly widened from 3 to 3.6 m (from 10 to 12 ft) each; the new sidewalks are also wider, 2.7 m (9 ft) each instead of 1.2 m (4 ft). Also, the main structural elements were moved to below the bridge deck, thus giving a much more open appearance.
Landmark
The Lions Gate Bridge has become a landmark of Vancouver and the North Shore. Film director Robert Altman, who founded Lions Gate Films, named the company after the bridge.
The bridge was featured on the first title card of CBC supper-hour newscast Canada Now, but it was replaced with a local image in several markets.
The bridge is often used in television broadcasts as a symbol of Vancouver; most telecasts of NHL hockey games played in Vancouver show the bridge at least once.
See also
Reference
External links
- Building a Vancouver Icon: The Lions Gate Bridge — the construction of the Lions Gate Bridge (illustrated with many photographs)
- Bridges of Greater Vancouver