The Pattullo Bridge has officially closed after shutting the link between New Westminster and Surrey to vehicle traffic.

Cyclists and pedestrians were invited to enjoy a car-free experience over the weekend, but it was cut a few hours short when people started to climb the arch of the bridge.

“There was a lineup forming, probably 20 people deep of people taking turns climbing up maybe 10 or 15 feet,” witness Derek Williams told Global News.

“I think 15 feet is the highest I saw somebody do it.”

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Surrey police officers were called in around 5 p.m.

“Police arrived and assisted security in dispersing the crowd that had queued up,” Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton with the Surrey Police Service told Global News.

“There were two people that were partway up the arch that police were able to successfully negotiate down before they got hurt.”

Shortly after, the B.C. government decided to close the bridge, citing poor weather conditions, but the bridge was initially set to close on Tuesday morning.

However, police had to be called a second time on Monday, around 7 p.m., after security reported a group pushing through the barricades.

“That’s when, unfortunately, these people got quite anti-police and verbally abusive with us and the security on scene,” Houghton said.

“Thankfully, no one had to be arrested and everyone dispersed and cooler heads prevailed.”

The new bridge was given a First Nations name from the Kwantlen First Nation and Musqueam Indian Band: stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge.

All four lanes are now open to traffic.

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Commuters around the Lower Mainland are being warned to leave extra time as bridge closures are taking effect starting Friday evening.

Starting at 8 p.m., the Pattullo Bridge and the stal̕əw̓asəm (Riverview) Bridge will be closed for a week to connect the roadways on either side to the new bridge.

Drivers will have to take the Port Mann Bridge or the Alex Fraser Bridge as alternative routes.

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Following the closure, the bridges will reopen with four lanes of traffic split between the stal̕əw̓asəm and Pattullo bridges.

Now, the Royal Avenue on-ramp to the Pattullo Bridge is closed for crews to remove a portion of the retaining wall alongside the Bridge Connector and advance construction of the new on-ramp, connections to roadways on either side of the new bridge and the Royal-Agnes multi-use path overpass.

The new Royal Avenue on-ramp to the stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge will open in late February.

All four lanes, including the new Royal Avenue on-ramp, will open on the stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge in late February.

Once the stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge is fully open, the Pattullo Bridge will be removed, which is expected to take about two years, according to the Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project.

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.