Mission Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Mission Bridge is a steel girder bridge linking the District Of Mission
to the City of Abbotsford
, British Columbia
. The bridge is measured at 3695 feet (1,126.2 m) long and is the only direct road link between the two.
Mission Railway Bridge
which could have wooden planks laid on the tracks to allow the passage of automobile traffic. Due to floods in the 1940s and 1950s, the bridge and surrounding area were becoming inaccessible. This was causing damage to Mission's business centre because a large percentage of the revenue in Mission came from Abbotsford. In order to revitalize business, a more permanent, consistent solution was needed. The Mission Bridge project was put into action in May, 1969, with the dredging of the Fraser River
's banks.
.
The Bridge was officially opened on July 11, 1973 by the Premier of British Columbia of the time, Dave Barrett
.
Mission, British Columbia
Mission, the core of which was formerly known as Mission City, is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River overlooking the City of Abbotsford and with that city is part of the Central Fraser Valley. Mission is the...
to the City of Abbotsford
Abbotsford, British Columbia
Abbotsford is a Canadian city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to Greater Vancouver. It is the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia, home to 123,864 people . Its Census Metropolitan Area, which includes the District of Mission, is the 23rd largest in Canada,...
, 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 is measured at 3695 feet (1,126.2 m) long and is the only direct road link between the two.
History
Before the Mission Bridge was completed, the only link between the City of Abbotsford and the City of Mission was the Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
Mission Railway Bridge
Mission Railway Bridge
The Mission Railway Bridge is a Canadian railway bridge spanning the Fraser River at Mission, British Columbia.Replacing an earlier bridge built in 1891, which was the first and only bridge crossing of the Fraser below Siska in the Fraser Canyon until the construction of the New Westminster rail...
which could have wooden planks laid on the tracks to allow the passage of automobile traffic. Due to floods in the 1940s and 1950s, the bridge and surrounding area were becoming inaccessible. This was causing damage to Mission's business centre because a large percentage of the revenue in Mission came from Abbotsford. In order to revitalize business, a more permanent, consistent solution was needed. The Mission Bridge project was put into action in May, 1969, with the dredging of 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...
's banks.
Construction
The construction of the bridge was a large undertaking. The main construction occurred between May 1969 and 1972. It included 19 piers, A four lane highway and pedestrian/bicycle routes adjacent to the main roadway. The total cost of the project was approximately 13,000,000 CADCanadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
.
The Bridge was officially opened on July 11, 1973 by the Premier of British Columbia of the time, Dave Barrett
Dave Barrett
David Barrett, OC , commonly known as Dave Barrett, is a retired politician and social worker in British Columbia, Canada...
.