Lions Gate Bridge · 88th Birthday · 12 November 1938–2026 · 1938–2026
Lions Gate Bridge Museum
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Topic · 1952–2022

Lanes and traffic

Published

Why does the middle lane of the Lions Gate Bridge change direction?

The Lions Gate Bridge has three lanes, and the middle lane changes direction. It became reversible on 19 May 1952, when signs and police directed the traffic. Since 1965 traffic signals have controlled it, so two lanes run one way and one lane the other. New LED lane signals and a new control system went in during 2021 and 2022.

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Which way the middle lane runs right now: Traffic.

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The record

  1. 19 May 1952

    The bridge gets a reversible middle lane. Signs and police direct the traffic. The work costs $18,000. In 1954 the road is repainted as three lanes, each 2.9 m wide.

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  2. 1965

    Traffic signals take over the middle lane. Two lanes run one way and one lane the other. This is the start of the counterflow system.

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  3. 25 May 2021

    The province announces a $4.7 million upgrade of the counterflow system. Paladin Technologies will supply new LED lane signals, new cameras and new control software.

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  4. May 2022

    Three full closures, from 29 April to 1 May 2022, switch the bridge to its new counterflow electrical system. The work finishes in May 2022.

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Sources

  1. S109 Lions Gate Bridge (article, wikitext as of 2026-10-23) · Wikipedia, 2026
  2. S151 Vancouver Sun and Province clippings, 1952–1956 · The Vancouver Sun / The Province via Newspapers.com, 1952
  3. S006 The Lions' Gate Bridge Suspended Span Replacement (TAC 2009 conference paper) · Darryl Matson, Buckland & Taylor Ltd., 2009
  4. S058 Building a Vancouver Icon: The Lions Gate Bridge (online exhibit, 34 pages) · MONOVA: Museum & Archives of North Vancouver, n.d.
  5. S052 Lions Gate Bridge (West Vancouver heritage page) · District of West Vancouver, n.d.
  6. S026 System upgrade coming to Lions Gate Bridge counterflow (2021TRAN0072-001001) · BC Gov News, 2021
  7. S027 Lions Gate Bridge full closures for counterflow commissioning (2022TRAN0035-000638) · BC Gov News, 2022
  8. S025 Lions Gate Bridge North Approach Viaduct Deck Resurfacing (project page) · BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit, 2023