stal̕əw̓asəm (Riverview) Bridge (Pattullo Bridge Replacement) | U/C

[officedweller]

From Trish Jewison instagram posted today:


https://www.instagram.com/p/DF_Kb-kyFnH/?img_index=5

[whatnext]

Terrible, the new bridge can’t come soon enough. RIP:

Three people killed in crash on Pattullo Bridge
Kenneth Chan
Feb 15 2025

A deadly crash on the Pattullo Bridge between Surrey and New Westminster has fully shut down the crossing in both directions.

According to Surrey Police Service, the incident occurred at about 10 pm on Friday, February 14, when emergency responders were advised of a collision involving three vehicles — one semi-trailer truck and two passenger vehicles.

The crash occurred on the east end of the bridge in the southbound lanes…

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-fatal-crash-february-2025

[mcj]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Terrible, the new bridge can’t come soon enough. RIP:

Three people killed in crash on Pattullo Bridge
Kenneth Chan
Feb 15 2025

A deadly crash on the Pattullo Bridge between Surrey and New Westminster has fully shut down the crossing in both directions.

According to Surrey Police Service, the incident occurred at about 10 pm on Friday, February 14, when emergency responders were advised of a collision involving three vehicles — one semi-trailer truck and two passenger vehicles.

The crash occurred on the east end of the bridge in the southbound lanes…

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-fatal-crash-february-2025

You know there will be crashes on the new bridge too right? It's tragic but wider lanes don't mean people in vehicles will stop killing each other.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by mcj

You know there will be crashes on the new bridge too right? It's tragic but wider lanes don't mean people in vehicles will stop killing each other.

One would assume safety design standards have improved somewhat since the 1930s.

[Lexus]

Originally Posted by mcj

You know there will be crashes on the new bridge too right? It's tragic but wider lanes don't mean people in vehicles will stop killing each other.

True, but this is less likely to happen in the new bridge. Looking at this photo clearly concrete median would likely saved lives

https://i.cbc.ca/1.7460487.1739640922!/f...es/16x9_620/patullo-bridge-collision.jpg

[mcj]

Originally Posted by Lexus

True, but this is less likely to happen in the new bridge. Looking at this photo clearly concrete median would likely saved lives

https://i.cbc.ca/1.7460487.1739640922!/f...es/16x9_620/patullo-bridge-collision.jpg

The tarps are covering where the deaths occurred which is in front of the truck, in the same lane. Plus nothing about the current bridge means there couldn't be a better traffic median, it just needs to be 2 lanes in each direction for some reason. The new bridge design wouldn't have done much

[jollyburger]

Reddit

.I was a tcp at the incident the Victim car was travelling northbound and crossed into the oncoming lane(southbound) infront of the semi.. semi tried to swerve out out of the way but no luck. RIP

Semi was only going about 30 mph passed us on the left very slowly and that white car came in out of nowhere at high speed...

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comme...xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by mcj

...The new bridge design wouldn't have done much...

No one's expecting the new bridge to magically prevent all accidents. However, as others have noted, the improved design should help motorists avoid some incidents that would be more likely under the current setup. Even one life saved is a significant improvement.

[GMasterAres]

The new bridge will help with a center median, wider lanes, and less of a curve at the east end (Surrey side). The reality though is, as others have said, this accident may not have been avoided entirely depending on speed of the passenger car that was northbound.

I rarely cross that bridge now since I can easily avoid it, but with a 50kph speed limit, it is very rare when I do cross it that some people aren't still zipping by me at 80 or 90kph (30/40kph over the speed limit). Add a bit of slickness as it has been wet and cold lately, and a curve, and it actually surprises me we don't have more of these types of accidents on that bridge.

People just drive overall too fast. I take the SFPR often to work and back and people will zip along there in the rain at 120kph+. They get away with it for the most part but sometimes, like happened a few weeks ago, someone makes a mistake and you end up with a jeep upside down on its roof closing things down for an hour+.

Lesson to everyone, that extra 3.6 minutes you save by going 40kph over the speed limit, is just not worth the risk to your life or the innocent people around you in other cars.

[jollyburger]

Just stick an average speed photo radar system on the bridge. Solved.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

No one's expecting the new bridge to magically prevent all accidents. However, as others have noted, the improved design should help motorists avoid some incidents that would be more likely under the current setup. Even one life saved is a significant improvement.

Interesting how we don't apply that same praise to lane reductions/other street improvements (i.e. bike lanes) that also save lives.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by mcj

Interesting how we don't apply that same praise to lane reductions/other street improvements (i.e. bike lanes) that also save lives.

Because we universally wish death for cyclists and the micro-managed lane divisions they fellate "for a more livable city".

Also the Pattullo uses flexible lane markers because it's way too narrow for Jersey Barriers. I can't help but notice the last two fatal accidents on the bridge happened more or less in the same place because one side or the other failed to stay in their lane.
I also can't help but notice that hours-long bridge closing incidents aren't otherwise particularly common.

[Metro-One]

Wait... Are people really arguing again that the Pattullo Bridge was not in need of a modern replacement??

And we wonder why Canada's infrastructure is so inadequate, hogtying us to the US...

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Wait... Are people really arguing again that the Pattullo Bridge was not in need of a modern replacement??

And we wonder why Canada's infrastructure is so inadequate, hogtying us to the US...

literally some people here are in denial or just insane.

i dont know how people can say "the new bridge might not have stopped this collision." what? are you insane? it was a head on collision due to someone crossing the median. the new bridge has a concrete divider as the median. it flat out would not have happened.

the new bridge will have wider lanes, have a concrete divider median, and an overall less dangerous design.

some of you people are literally insane.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by mcj

Interesting how we don't apply that same praise to lane reductions/other street improvements (i.e. bike lanes) that also save lives.

For the record, I do.

[CanSpice]

Originally Posted by mcj

The new bridge design wouldn't have done much

The speeding car crossed the centre line and struck the semi. Cement barriers, like the ones that will be installed on the new bridge, would have completely prevented that.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by mcj

Interesting how we don't apply that same praise to lane reductions/other street improvements (i.e. bike lanes) that also save lives.

Maybe because bike lane use on a new bridge would be next to nil.

[Vantage]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Maybe because bike lane use on a new bridge would be next to nil.

Well I sure as hell won't be riding my bike over the current bridge, but once the new one opens I will definitely ride across every now and then.

[GMasterAres]

I don't know how people can say "the new bridge might not have stopped this collision." what? are you insane? it was a head on collision due to someone crossing the median. the new bridge has a concrete divider as the median. it flat out would not have happened.

the new bridge will have wider lanes, have a concrete divider median, and an overall less dangerous design.

some of you people are literally insane.

You are aware depending on the situation, even a small car with enough momentum can easily go over a barrier on a corner right? There have been many deaths due to that and from the videos shown there is no way to know for sure their speed other than it was likely quite fast. Medians aren't a guarantee. They work well on straight aways, and are not a guarantee on a corner depending on momentum. It's called physics.

That said, I specifically said it may have on this specific accident. I'll admit I should have used the word "likely" instead since statistically a centre median will reduce head-on deaths by 90-96% (note it isn't 100%...) so likely would be more accurate. But I don't deal in absolutes.

When anyone talks in absolutes like "new bridge wouldn't have stopped the accident" or "people are insane thinking it wouldn't have flat out prevented it 100%" (paraphrasing), they've both lost grip of reality. The insanity is that so many people in tis world talk in 100% absolutes all the time. "It's us or them!"

Relax.

New bridge will be leaps safer than existing I don't think that is even being argued. I don't see any post where anyone has said the bridge is stupid or shouldn't have been built. With that said, this is way off topic so I'll bow out.

[officedweller]

There's dashcam video out now, and yeah, the car that crossed could have flipped over a median jersey barrier.

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