Skip to content
  1. Home
  2. Local News

Delta planning bridge retrofit

Construction on the retrofit is expected to take place next year
Sandor Gyarmati
Sandor Gyarmati
web1_north-delta-bridge-overpass-project-72nd-avenue
The bridge was constructed in 1985 and carries 72nd Avenue over the railroad and Cougar Creek. City of Delta report

The City of Delta has issued a request for proposals for a seismic retrofit design for the 72nd Avenue BNR Overpass in North Delta.

The bridge spans the Burlington Northern and Sante Fe Railroad (BNSF).

The overpass was constructed in 1985.

Since 2003, the bridge structure has been inspected every three-to-four years as part of the city’s rehabilitation and maintenance programs.

The city completed geotechnical investigations for the bridge in 2017 as well as seismic assessment studies for the structure in 2013 and 2021.

Several seismic vulnerabilities have been identified at the overpass.

Deficiencies were also identified in other bridges, including the 64th Avenue BNR Overpass, the Nordel Way BNR Overpass and the Highway 10 Big Slough Bridge.

The city notes the detailed design component of the 72nd Avenue BNR Overpass project, which is receiving funding from TransLink, should be completed no later than Oct. 31. Construction is scheduled to take place in 2024.

Meanwhile, the first phase of a major roadway improvement project for the busy Delta corridor is mostly complete.

The 72nd Avenue Roadway Improvements Project is comprised of two phases with the first, costing almost $6 million, including upgrades between Westview Drive and 115th Street. Those improvements consisted of the relocation of the curb, gutter and sidewalks as well as new street lighting.

There are also new traffic signals including at Westview Drive, in addition to drainage improvements and a concrete median island along the centre of the avenue to create four lanes for part of the roadway.

The project also includes rehabilitation of the existing parking lot at Heath Elementary, including landscaping and installation of a rain garden.

The second phase, costing around $6.8 million, will see improvements from 115th Street to Scott Road. Construction is expected to begin later in 2023.

The project is co-funded by the city, TransLink as part of their Major Road Network Improvement Program as well as the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC).