Keith Road Bridge
The new five-lane Keith Road Bridge over Lynn Creek more than doubles the capacity of one of North Vancouver's critical east-west connections.
Fully funded by the District of North Vancouver, the new $14.5 million bridge is an important element in our transportation system, separating North Shore commuters from those heading south on the Second Narrows Bridge. The new bridge makes travel safer for everyone, with protected bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides, transit stops with shelters, and energy efficient LED lighting.
The bridge opened in December, 2016. A history of the project, complete with construction photos, is available below.
Photos & video
Demolition of the old bridge
This time-lapse video captures the demolition of the old Keith Road bridge between April 13 and May 14, 2016, from the time the deck was removed, until it was set on wheels and rolled away to be disassembled.
Our progress, in photos
Select any image to view a larger version, and to scroll through all of the pictures (most recent photos are at the top).
News & updates
May 23, 2017 — Bridge complete
Following a number of weather-related delays, the return of dry weather allowed us to complete paving and line painting on the bridge, and the new bridge is now officially complete.
February 24, 2017 — Bridgman Park trails open
Trails throughout Bridgman Park are now open for use, including access from all sides of the bridge. There will be some ongoing park maintenance throughout the spring, as well as some summer work unrelated to the Keith Road Bridge project.
The Bridgman parking lot will remain closed for the installation of some timber bollards around the perimeter, and is expected to reopen mid-March.
December 15, 2016 — Four lanes now open
Four of the five lanes of the new bridge are now open to traffic. The entire bridge will be opened in the spring, once warmer, dryer weather returns and we're able to complete paving. Restoration of Bridgman Park continues.
December 7, 2016 — Preparing to open new lanes
With the record breaking number of wet days in October and November, we have been unable to complete final paving across the bridge, and have postponed final completion until warm and dry weather returns in the spring.
Contractors have been preparing the site for temporary line painting and will be opening additional lanes on the bridge as soon as appropriate weather and road conditions allow. In the meantime, restoration work in Bridgman Park is ongoing and set for completion by the end of December.
October 28, 2016 — Bridge opening soon
We are in the final stages of work on the new bridge. At this point, we just need two or three dry days in order to do the final paving and paint the lines on the street, and the bridge will be ready to open.
August 5, 2016 — Steel girder installation
The steel girders for the second half of the bridge have now been installed, and we will soon begin work on the bridge deck.
June 29, 2016 — Pile driving complete
We have now completed all of the required pile driving for the second half of the new bridge, and we have begun to build the mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls that will support the new steel beams.
May 24, 2016 — Work on phase two of the bridge begins
With the old bridge removed, work on the second phase of the bridge — the new north lanes — began, with pile driving for the east abutment.
May 14, 2016 — Old bridge removed and demolished
The old Keith Road bridge was raised about nine feet in the air, slid onto the new bridge, placed on wheels, and towed west along Keith Rd so it could be demolished away from the water. With the old bridge gone, the way is clear for us to start on the next phase of the project: building the north lanes of the new bridge.
April 4, 2016 — Major milestone: new south lanes open
The south lanes of the new bridge were opened, and we moved all car, bike, and pedestrian traffic onto the new lanes. This is a major milestone in this project, and allows us demolish the old bridge and replace it with the remainder of the new lanes. We're now over half way done, and anticipate that the bridge will be completed this fall.
March 9, 2016 — Beautification funding from BC Hydro announced
We have been awarded up to $317,000 from BC Hydro to ‘underground’ the power lines, which will beautify the bridge crossing, significantly improve views into Seylynn and Bridgman parks, increase the lines' reliability, and reduce power outages caused by damage from windstorms and other hazards.
February 6, 2016 — Deck concrete poured
We're one step closer to the completion of the first half of the new bridge, with the pouring of concrete for the new bridge deck.
January 6, 2016 — Deck panels added
We began lowering the first of the precast concrete deck panels into place on the new span today, as we reach another construction milestone.
November 20, 2015 — Steel beam installation
The first half of the new bridge is beginning to take shape, as we assemble the first four steel beams for the bridge span. This work is taking place on site.
September 29, 2015 — Pile driving
Pile driving is nearing completion for the first half (west side) of the bridge, and the mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls are beginning to take shape.
September 3, 2015 — Pedestrian detours and getting to Lynnmour School
For the first two days of school (September 8 and 9) we will have Traffic Control Personnel in place at the Fern Street and Keith Road crosswalks, as children travel to and from school. This will familiarize children with the detour route and locations of the signaled crosswalks.
August 10, 2015 — Four weeks of pile driving starts next week
Beginning the week of August 17, and lasting for four weeks, we will be driving piles into the ground next to the existing bridge. Work will take place during regular work hours (Monday to Friday, 7am-8pm; Saturday, 9am-5pm) and will not affect traffic.
July 14, 2015 — Temporary left turn restrictions and lane closures
We will be installing storm drains and painting roadway lines at night between July 19 and 26, in addition to ongoing daytime work. During this one-week period, traffic will be reduced to a single lane in either direction, so expect delays.
Left turns from Keith Road westbound onto Lynnmouth Avenue will also be restricted during this one-week period.
June 23, 2015 — Seylynn and Bridgman Park trails closed
To ensure public safety while the new Keith Road Bridge is under construction, we are closing both the Seylynn and Bridgman Park trails under the bridge, beginning Wednesday, June 24, for the duration of the project and detouring pedestrian and cycling traffic around the site.,
June 19, 2015 — Utility work continues around Keith Road Bridge
On June 20, the bus stop on the south side of Keith Road (eastbound) will be temporarily relocated to Mountain Highway (southbound) near the former Keith Lynn School site. Signage and maps will be placed at the Lynnmouth intersection indicating where the bus stop will be located.
May 4, 2015 — Road widening and construction are underway
We have begun construction. Periodic traffic delays are expected, so please allow extra time when travelling in the area. During construction, the Bridgman Park parking lot will be closed. You will find alternate parking at Seylynn and Inter River Parks.
April 13, 2015 — Underground utility work along Keith Road
We will start some utility roadwork along Keith Road — between Lynnmouth and Mountain Highway — to prepare for bridge construction. Expect periodic traffic delays while this work is carried out.
March 17, 2014 — Tree removal along Keith Road is complete
We were happy to be able to donate some of the wood to Lynnmour Elementary School. The school is transforming it into classroom tables, seating, decorations, and even an outdoor learning space, as part of their unique 'bring nature back into learning' program. Some of the wood was also chipped for use on trails and in landscaping.
Details
Features of the new, five-lane bridge
The new Keith Road bridge will:
- lead to a more efficient commute, by adding capacity and separating local traffic from commuters heading toward the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge
- improve east-west connectivity through the District, linking up with the new Keith Road extension around the north edge of the Seylynn development
- be safer for pedestrians and cyclists, with sidewalks and bicycle lanes on both sides
- support future Highway 1 improvements
Illustrations of the new bridge
Select an image to view it full size
How long will construction take?
Construction preparation began in January 2015 and is expected to take 18 months to complete.
How the bridge is being funded
The total project cost for the new Keith Road Bridge is $14.5M.
We anticipate that 50 percent of the construction cost will be funded by the District, and the remainder through Development Cost Charges.
Development Cost Charges are levied on new developments to assist with the cost of upgrading or providing new infrastructure (roads, water, sewer and drainage), and the cost of acquiring or developing parkland, all of which are needed to support the increase in population.
Learn more about Development Cost Charges
We are also investigating whether this project may be eligible for senior government funding.
Documents
Review plans and drawings
Get more details about the bridge, including the plans and drawings, by downloading the information we supplied during our public open houses:
Learn about the alternative approval process
To accommodate construction of the new bridge and adjacent road widening, we had to remove a narrow strip of park land from Bridgman/Seylynn parks and replace it with a larger piece of land (which was rezoned to park land) north of the roadway.
Get details on our Seylynn and Bridgman Parks Revitalization Plan
The plans for the new bridge are closely aligned with the Seylynn and Bridgman Parks Revitalization Plan. Any trees removed from the parks during construction will be replaced at a 3 to 1 ratio (three trees will be planted for each one removed).
Background
Improving transportation in the District
This project is part of our commitment to make the District an even better place to live by improving options for walking, cycling, transit and safe driving through our Transportation Plan.
This is just one of several transportation projects designed to improve traffic flow and support future Highway 1 improvements.
