Dinsmore Bridge

Dinsmore Bridge
Coordinates	49.178831°N 123.14882°W / 49.178831; -123.14882
Carries	Two lanes of Gilbert Road, pedestrians and bicycles
Crosses	Middle Arm Fraser River
Locale	Richmond
Maintained by	Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
Characteristics
Design	girder bridge
Total length	300 m
History
Opened	1969
Location

Dinsmore Bridge is a bridge in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. Built in 1969, it connects Sea Island (where the Vancouver International Airport is located) to Lulu Island, the main island of the city. It is an extension of Gilbert Road on Lulu Island; on Sea Island, it meets up with Russ Baker Way. Its general direction is north-south and it has one lane going each direction, with a pedestrian sidewalk on the west side of the bridge. The bridge is operated by the Vancouver International Airport.

The Dinsmore Bridge is named after pioneer John Dinsmore, owner of the Dinsmore Island Cannery, located on Dinsmore Island. Dinsmore Island, also known as Brough Island, was located in the Middle Arm off the southeast corner of Sea Island, located from the approximate location of the north end of the Dinsmore Bridge to where Gilbert Road currently intersects Russ Baker Way. By 1952 Dinsmore Island and nearly Pheasant Island had become a part of Sea Island due to infilling of the channel.

Before construction of the No. 2 Road Bridge, Dinsmore Bridge was the shortest route to Vancouver for residents of the western part of Richmond.

Prior to October 11, 2006, Dinsmore Bridge was also the bridge of choice of public transit buses from western Richmond (no bus routes ran on the No. 2 Road Bridge). At the time, two express peak-hour buses to downtown Vancouver ran on the bridge: #491 One Road/Burrard Station (travelling along No. 1 Road, Westminster Highway and Gilbert Road) and #496 Railway/Burrard Station (travelling along Railway Avenue, Granville Avenue and Gilbert Road). However, after the incident on October 11 (see below), weight restrictions were put in place for the bridge. Until the restrictions are lifted, all buses are being diverted to the No. 2 Road Bridge.

The bridge is often used to access the Richmond Hospital and the WorkSafeBC headquarters, which are located on Gilbert Road at the intersection with Westminster Highway.

On October 11, 2006, the bridge was closed for several days after a truck on River Road, carrying a crane to the Richmond Olympic Oval site, damaged the bottom of the bridge [1]. It re-opened on October 13, but weight and speed restrictions were put in place until further notice [2].

See also

• List of crossings of the Fraser River
• List of bridges in Canada
• List of bridges

References

• Bridges of Greater Vancouver
• Island City by Nature – Richmond’s Islands