Westham Island Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Westham Island Bridge is a partially single-lane, wood-deck truss bridge
located in Ladner
, British Columbia
. The bridge passes over Canoe Pass in the Fraser River
Estuary and connects Ladner with Westham Island
. The bridge's length is approximately 325 m (1066 feet). The bridge was constructed between 1909 and 1912 and has undergone extensive refitting over the years.
It is an occasional chosen location for film and TV productions. One of the most famous was an episode of the X-Files TV series. The bridge is a favorite of photographers in general and particularly bird-watchers as Westham Island Road is also the only route by road to the Riefel Island Bird Sanctuary.
It is one of the oldest, and yet, arguably the most reliable swing-bridge operating in BC (possibly anywhere).
TransLink, the regional transportation authority, is currently responsible for the bridge. The bridge was previously owned by the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (GVTA).
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
located in Ladner
Ladner, British Columbia
Ladner was created as a fishing village on the banks of the Fraser River. It is a part of the Municipality of Delta, British Columbia, Canada, and a suburb of Vancouver....
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The bridge passes over Canoe Pass in the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
Estuary and connects Ladner with Westham Island
Westham Island
Westham Island is an island located near Ladner, British Columbia, Canada. The island is accessible via the Westham Island Bridge. The George C. Reifel Refuge for migratory birds is located at the northern end of the island. The Alaksen National Wildlife Area is also located on the...
. The bridge's length is approximately 325 m (1066 feet). The bridge was constructed between 1909 and 1912 and has undergone extensive refitting over the years.
Electrical Swing Motor
Electrical operation of the swing span was adapted in 1974. Previous to that time the bridge was manually operated by lifting a steel plate in the deck of the bridge and inserting a ten-foot bar into a lever. The operator would walk in a clockwise circle to open the span for marine traffic and then reverse the operation to close. The bridge still has this manual capacity. Remarkably a single-armed gentleman operated the bridge in this fashion until the age of 71, retiring when the electrical motor was installed.Increase Load Restrictions
Translink contracts Mainroad Contracting Ltd. and improves the load restriction (originally 20 tonnes).Popularity
Part of the bridge consists of one of the few remaining wooden 'Howe Trusses' in existence and has been recognized and storied by both 'Canadian' and 'National' Geographic Societies.It is an occasional chosen location for film and TV productions. One of the most famous was an episode of the X-Files TV series. The bridge is a favorite of photographers in general and particularly bird-watchers as Westham Island Road is also the only route by road to the Riefel Island Bird Sanctuary.
It is one of the oldest, and yet, arguably the most reliable swing-bridge operating in BC (possibly anywhere).
TransLink, the regional transportation authority, is currently responsible for the bridge. The bridge was previously owned by the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (GVTA).