Garry Phillip
Project Director, Pomerleau
Vancouver’s Granville Bridge upgrade is enhancing accessibility, sustainability, and safety through innovative construction and collaborative planning.
The City of Vancouver is upgrading the Granville Bridge to create an accessible walking and AAA cycling connection across one of the city’s most important bridges.
Pomerleau began reconfiguration work in 2023 with the goal of reshaping the infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of the city.
Originally built in 1954, the Granville Bridge is an eight-lane bridge over False Creek and is a major gateway to and from downtown Vancouver. On a typical weekday, the bridge has over 65,000 motor vehicles and over 25,000 trips on six bus routes, with almost 80 buses per hour during peak periods.
Improving walking and cycling conditions over the Granville Bridge has long been identified as a priority for the city. Pomerleau is installing new pedestrian and cyclist connections across the bridge, altering the bridge deck, and replacing the northern loops with a normalized street network.
Improving safety
Alterations to the bridge deck are being made to reallocate travel lanes to create safe spaces for all road users. The northern loops, which were once intended to be highway off-ramps, are being replaced with at-grade streets to create safer intersections and a walkable urban environment, and to allow for development of the land.
Our success relied on clear communication with all stakeholders and early involvement of all parties during the pre-planning phase.
“We faced unique challenges during the execution of this project, namely the installation of new utilities and demolition and removal of hazardous materials in a densely populated environment,” says Garry Phillip of Pomerleau, the project director. “The installation of the utilities required trench excavation between two existing residential towers and a hotel, all of which required pedestrian and vehicle access during construction. While demolishing an existing portion of the bridge, we had to remove hazardous material while local businesses remained in operation. Our success relied on clear communication with all stakeholders and early involvement of all parties during the pre-planning phase.”
Reshaping how the city moves
To support the City of Vancouver’s climate emergency efforts, Pomerleau deployed sustainable initiatives including using a mobile rotating pulveriser during deconstruction. The pulveriser chews through concrete and steel. The remaining rubble can then be easily transported off-site for recycling. Construction also had no impact on marine life.
“It was Pomerleau’s intention from the outset of the project to strive for efficient use of resources through the reduction of waste and recycling materials where the project allowed,” says Phillip. “Sub-contractors were involved early in the planning stage and material deliveries were scheduled on a just-in-time basis, which reduced net defects and material waste as materials weren’t damaged whilst sitting on-site waiting for installation. The section of the bridge structure to be replaced was also designed in a way that reduced the time needed for maintenance, which contributed to the project’s sustainability.”
The upgraded bridge will provide safe and sustainable transportation connections integrated with a sustainable transportation network and will reshape the way the city moves.
To learn more, visit pomerleau.ca.
