Agassiz-Rosedale Bridge

In earlier times, First Nations offered passenger travel across by canoe.[1] In 1901, J. and M. Vallance and Walter McGrath, assisted by George Noble Ryder, commenced an on-request, seasonal ferry service using a rowboat, small scow, and horse. The southern dock, named "McGrath's Landing", remained the Rosedale terminal until 1922. In 1907, Charles A.P. Gill and G.N. Ryder replaced the service with a seven-hp launch and scow, providing subsidized daily and an on-call trips.[2][3]

In 1909, Patrick McGrath and son Walter launched the 15-hp Lady Fraser. The next year Walter was awarded the government franchise for the crossing, ending the former enterprise. In 1914, he introduced a larger 30-hp launch and sold the former one.[4] In 1917, a 7am–8pm free ferry service with a fixed subsidy was tendered, but Walter's bid was unsuccessful. After two other operators abandoned their contracts, Walter resumed the service a year later.[4] Five round trips were made daily.[5]

In 1920, tolls were introduced.[6] In 1922, the government took over the service previously contracted to a private operator.[1] The new ferry called Sea Wolf was nine-automobile capacity, 18 by 8 metres (60 by 26 ft), double ended, wooden hull, and powered by two 35-hp gasoline engines.[7] A new toll structure and schedule were introduced for the five-times daily crossings.[8]

Duke Patterson was the ferry captain 1922–1929, when a change of provincial government terminated his employment.[9] G.N. Ryder was an assistant purser and deck hand throughout this period.[10] In 1926–27, crew numbers were doubled for an extra weekend shift to handle increased traffic to the new Harrison Hot Springs Hotel.[11] In early 1928, tolls increased and the site was relocated upstream to shorten the crossing distance from 671 metres (2,200 ft) to 213 metres (700 ft).[12] That year, vandals almost destroyed the Agassiz floating wharf by attempting to set it adrift.[13] The next year, the surplus Eena from Mission replaced the smaller Sea Wolf.[14] In 1929–30, a new Agassiz landing was built.[15]

Entering service in 1930, the new 20-automobile capacity ferry[16][17] was called Agassiz. In 1932–33, this vessel was relocated to be the Ladner Ferry and was replaced by the Eena again. That year, J.T. Henley was awarded a five-year franchise for the service previously operated by the Department of Public Works.[18]

In 1934, two 106-hp Ruston-Lister diesel engines replaced the 15-year-old 90-hp Wisconsin engines in the Eena.[19] Although river ice suspended operations for brief periods each winter, the ice shutdown was January 27 to March 1 in 1937.[20] In 1939–40, summer sailings were extended to 10pm.[21]

In 1944 was the final charging of ferry tolls.[22] In 1947–48 the Rosedale winter landing was reconstructed.[23] When the June 1948 flood destroyed the Agassiz landing, a temporary floating one was installed.[24]

In 1951, the surplus 20-automobile capacity Agassiz from Ladner was refitted and replaced the 10-automobile capacity Eena. The franchise charter was discontinued and the Department took over the operation. The ice shutdown was December 19, 1951 to February 13, 1952.[25] In January 1954, 20 passengers were stranded for eight hours when the ferry lodged on a sand bank. Passengers either waded or scrambled over ladders to reach shore. The ferry was refloated the next day with the aid of tugs.[26]

In June 1955, when floods damaged the Rosedale landing, heavy vehicles could not use the ferry for several weeks. After a span collapsed on the Mission railway/highway bridge in July, ferry hours increased to 16 hours, then 24 hours. In August, a new landing was improvised downstream.[27]

The 24-hour service continued until the ferry ceased operations on October 31, 1956.[28] Apart from the train and the westward road over Mt. Woodside opened in 1926, the ferry had provided the only access to Agassiz.[29] Although the ferry had long been considered an unsuitable relic, a fear by many local businesses that easier access would threaten their livelihood became a reality.[30]

The Agassiz was overhauled, new engines installed, and renamed the T'Lagunna and began service in June 1957 as the Albion Ferry.[31]

In 1954, contracts were awarded for the substructure to Northern Construction Co ($1,699,058), superstructure to Western Bridge & Steel Fabricators ($1,134,926), approaches to Dominion Bridge Company ($372,727), and steel fencing to Westminster Iron Works ($80,064).[32] J.W. Stewart Limited is also listed as a contractor. C.K. Saunders was the design engineer. The 1,870-metre (6,130 ft) bridge[33] cost about $4 million. Construction took more than two years.[34]

Prior to the opening, residents were unhappy that a four-lane span had not been the chosen design.[30] The bridge was officially opened on October 31, 1956.[28] Premier W. A. C. Bennett cut the ribbon and Highways Minister Phil Gaglardi was emcee. Four days of festivities followed.[34]

The single use toll was 50 cents, reduced to 25 cents for a book of tickets limited to a 30-day period.[35] Months later, the bus and truck toll was reduced by 40 per cent for a book of 20 tickets.[36] An automobile book of 10 tickets was later reduced to $2.[29] The bridge became toll free from April 1, 1963.[37]

In 1957, a 76-centimetre (30 in) natural gas pipeline was installed below the bridge deck.[38]

In 1987, the bridge was a site location for the movie Stakeout.[39]

In a 1993 head-on collision with a semi-trailer, the three occupants of a car were killed.[40]

In a 2002 head-on collision, the two drivers were killed and a semi-trailer plunged into the river.[41]

In 2019, the piers 7 and S1 foundations were joined as part of a seismic upgrade.[42] The main channel of the river, which was closer to Agassiz in 1956, has since moved closer to Rosedale, which destabilised pier 7. In 2022, a further $25 million was budgeted for upgrades that include joint replacements, repairs to steel components, and a new coating for the steel to minimize deterioration. Maximum traffic capacity is projected by 2057. A 2012 recommendation to widen the bridge deck and create a safe space for pedestrians and cyclists is not being pursued.[43] Since the bridge has never been safe to cross on foot or by bike, residents continued to lobby for action.[44]

• List of crossings of the Fraser River
• List of Inland Ferries in British Columbia
• List of bridges in British Columbia

• Heritage Preservers of Rosedale and District (1988). In The Shadow of Mt. Cheam – A History of Rosedale, Popkum and Camp River British Columbia (PDF). ISBN 0886330149. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)