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The Cambie Bridge (Vancouver, British Columbia)

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The Cambie Street Bridge is a 3,600-foot-long girder span located in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia.  The current span opened to traffic on December 8, 1985, and is the third highway bridge at the crossing over False Creek.  The modern structure offers spectacular view of the downtown Vancouver skyline. 

The original Cambie Street Bridge opened in 1891 as private crossing of False Creek.  This timber designed structure proved inadequate as it crossed too low over False Creek.  The second Cambie Street Bridge would open during 1911 and was renamed as the Connaught Bridge in 1912.  The second structure included a swing span and generally was a much more adequate structure for the early automotive era.  The Connaught Bridge was closed during November 1984 to make way for construction of the current Cambie Bridge.  




Part 1; the history of bridges over False Creek via Cambie Street

Cambie Street and the Cambie Street Bridge are named in honor of Henry Cambie.  Henry Cambie was born in Ireland and emigrated to Canada in 1837.  Cambie worked in railroad engineering and construction in Nova Scotia.  During 1874 Cambie was sent to British Columbia to survey the feasibility of a railroad line through the mountains.

Henry Cambie was placed in charge of railroad construction through Fraser Canyon during 1881.  His efforts later saw him appointed Engineer-in-Charge of the western division of the Canadian Pacific Railway.  Cambie would construct a home in Vancouver in 1889 and would remain a resident of the city until his death in 1928. 

A photo of Henry Cambie from the Vancouver city archives. 


The original Cambie Street Bridge was a private venture at False Creek which broke ground during 1888.  The lumber for the timber trestle was supplied by the owners Leamy and Kyle.  The city of Vancouver in turn provided labor, engineering plans and iron to aid in the venture.  The original Cambie Street Bridge would open during July 1891 at a cost of $12,000 Candian dollars. 

The original Cambie Street Bridge can be seen below as it was circa 1904 (Vancouver city archives).  The original bridge had a rarely used draw span which was located ten feet above False Creek.  This structure was eventually turned over to the city of Vancouver and was made a public roadway. 


The original Cambie Street Bridge can be seen crossing False Creek on the 1906 Department of Interior map of Vancouver. 


The city of Vancouver had drafted preliminary plans to construct a high-level swing bridge over False Creek on July 8, 1909.  Construction of this bridge would begin on February 11, 1910.  While the high-level span was under construction the wooden falsework supporting it caught fire.  Ultimately there was little damage to the span, and it would open to the public on May 24, 1911.  The high-level swing bridge at False Creek cost approximately $823,500 Canadian dollars. 

Originally the second structure at False Creek was also known as the Cambie Street Bridge but it would be renamed as the "Connaught Bridge" by then Duchess of Connaught Princess Louise Margaret on September 12, 1912.  The renaming of was intended to honor the Duke of Connaught.  

During the morning of April 29, 1915, timber elements caught fire on the Connaught Bridge.  The fire caused a 90-foot section of the bridge to collapse before firefighters could get it under control.  The collapsed section can be seen below in a city of Vancouver city archives photo.  


The Connaught Bridge can be seen crossing False Creek on the 1914 Vancouver Map & Blue Company edition. 


The damaged section of the Connaught Bridge cost $90,000 Canadian dollars to repair.  The falsework trestle from the repairs can be seen still present on a May 26, 1923, photo (Vancouver Public Library) behind the central swing span.  


The Connaught Bridge can be seen below in a late 1940s photo from the Vancouver Public Library. 


The Connaught Bridge never carried a British Columbia Highway.  The span can be seen on the 1951 Shell street map of Vancouver. 


Vancouver city voters would approve a measure to construct the current Cambie Street Bridge on March 14, 1984.  A contract to build the planned 3,600-foot girder bridge was awarded by the city on April 24, 1984.   A closure ceremony for the Connaught Bridge took place November 18, 1984.  The British Columbia Regiment and motorcade of vintage cars attended the ceremony. 


The Connaught Bridge was demolished following the closure ceremony to make way for the current Cambie Bridge.  The new span included six lanes for automotive traffic and pedestrian walkways along both sides of structure.  These photos depict the Cambie Bridge under construction.  



The current Cambie Bridge opened to traffic on December 8, 1985, at a cost of $52,700,000 Canadian dollars.  This photo is from the cover of the Cambie Bridge opening ceremony which was presided over by Vancouver City Engineer C.H. Curtis. 


The Cambie Bridge can be seen facing north towards the Vancouver skyline below in a photo taken May 27, 1986, by Steve Morgan. 




Part 2; a drive on the Cambie Bridge

This photo tour of the Cambie Bridge was taken heading northbound from Broadway (British Columbia Highway 7) over False Creek into downtown Vancouver.  The downtown skyline has grown considerably since the current Cambie Bridge opened in late 1985.  As the bridge enters downtown northbound traffic transitions onto Smithe Street. 





















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