Bridges in the North Shore
Have you ever wondered about the history behind the bridges you cross during your everyday commute? We've decided to share some fun facts about a few bridges we cross during our driving lessons in the Lower Mainland.
1) Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing
The Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing crosses the Burrard Inlet and was the first bridge to connect Vancouver with the North Shore. It was named the Second Narrows Bridge because it is located at the second narrowing of the inlet. The original bridge was constructed in 1925 by John Stewart and Northern Construction. The bridge was hit many times by ships and consequently was shut down for four years. It reopened in 1933 with a lift section. In 1994, the bridge was renamed from the "Second Narrows Rail Bridge" to "Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing" to honour all of the ironworkers who died while working on the bridge. We like to share this history during our class 5 driving lessons in North Vancouver.
2) Lions Gate Bridge
Officially named the First Narrows Bridge, this crossing opened in 1938 and connects Vancouver with West Vancouver. Most of us know this bridge as the Lions Gate Bridge, named after the mountain peaks of Vancouver, The Lions. In 1939, a pair of lion statues were placed on both sides of the south approach to the bridge. We often cross this bridge during our road lessons in West Vancouver, and we can't believe the bridge gets daily traffic of about 60,000 to 70,000 vehicles! If you cross the bridge at night, you'll notice the beautiful lights along the bridge, which were a gift to the city of Vancouver from the Guinness family in 1986, easily making it one of the most beautiful bridges in Vancouver.
During our class 5 driving lessons in North Vancouver, we like to include driving across bridges to make students as comfortable as possible in everyday driving. Many individuals who take our driving school in North Vancouver say they like the practice of driving across bridges!
