PITT MEADOWS, B.C. — The first bridge to be constructed under B.C.’s Gateway Program opened to traffic over the weekend, right on schedule.

The new seven-lane Pitt River Bridge replaces two bridges and is expected to reduce congestion in the Lower Mainland and cut travel times for the almost 90,000 vehicles that cross each day.

“This new seven-lane Pitt River Bridge will connect Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows and the Tri Cities like never before as well as reducing congestion and improving travel times for commuters and business traffic,” said Premier Gordon Campbell.

In addition to replacing the existing swing bridges, the project will replace the current Lougheed Highway and Mary Hill Bypass intersection with a free-flowing interchange.

With its location linking the CP Intermodal Terminal and Lower Mainland ports, the Pitt River Bridge and Mary Hill Interchange Project is a critical component of the Gateway Program. The $198-million Pitt River Bridge project is being cost-shared between the provincial and federal governments.

Traffic volumes on the swing bridges over the Pitt River have more than tripled between 1985 and 2007, from 27,000 to 88,000 vehicles per day. The cable-stayed bridge is constructed between the existing bridges and has three lanes of westbound traffic and four lanes of eastbound traffic, and has been built to accommodate eight lanes in the future.