The Knight Street Bridge photo essay is the second in a three-part series by Angus McIntyre. The photos were taken on Angus’s Konica Autoreflex T Camera.
December 31, 1972 was an unseasonably warm Sunday and Angus McIntyre jumped on his bike and headed to the Fraser River. He spent the day documenting the construction of the Knight Street Bridge and the Arthur Laing Bridge – the two Fraser river crossings that would replace the Fraser Street swing span bridge from Vancouver to Mitchell Island and the fixed trestle bridge to Lulu Island.
By Angus McIntyre
The approach to the south span of the Knight Street bridge from Lulu Island (Richmond) looking north. Angus McIntyre photo, December 31, 1972
Construction on the Knight Street Bridge started in 1969. It was the second cantilever bridge in North America to use cast-in-place segments.
Looking north on the bridge deck towards Mitchell Island. Angus McIntyre photo, December 31, 1972View from the bridge deck shows the trestle bridge from Mitchell (Twigg) Island to Lulu Island, with the Oak Street Bridge in the distance to the right. This trestle bridge was hit by a barge in 1966. Angus McIntyre photo, December 31, 1972Approach to Mitchell Island looking north. The south span is four lanes wide. Angus McIntyre photo, December 31, 1972View from the end of the south span arriving on Mitchell Island. North span construction visible. Angus McIntyre photo, December 31, 1972The six-lane north span of the bridge from Mitchell Island to Vancouver. Angus McIntyre photo, December 31, 1972Looking west from the north span of the Knight Street Bridge downstream towards the Fraser Street swing span bridge. Angus McIntyre photo, December 31, 1972Knight and E. 63rd Avenue – the calm before the storm. Angus McIntyre photo, December 31, 1972The Knight Street Bridge was closed for 48 hours when a crane on a barge hit the underside of the bridge. Province photo, January 16, 2000.
Yeah I can remember when south Knight street at 49th and 57th used to be a quiet sleepy part of the city and it was instantly transformed by the opening of the Knight Street Bridge into a noisy polluted highway thoroughfare with heavy bus and truck traffic. Gotta wonder how the residents living along Knight Street felt .
Yes! Off Boundary road would have made more sense as that road goes nowhere. Trucks! Umm dangerous , noisy and dirty. Not thought out at all with no regard to the area residents . The “city” thought they were doing them a favour. NOT! No plan, no vision ( and not cloudy Vision party . Homelessness in 15? ) no foresight. We let the Neon City slip right away. Expo ? A disaster. Greed by a certain billionaire who can not even be bothered to name his own yacht. Jim your no Harold A Jones for one!
3 comments on “The Knight Street Bridge: Part 2”
Yeah I can remember when south Knight street at 49th and 57th used to be a quiet sleepy part of the city and it was instantly transformed by the opening of the Knight Street Bridge into a noisy polluted highway thoroughfare with heavy bus and truck traffic. Gotta wonder how the residents living along Knight Street felt .
Yes! Off Boundary road would have made more sense as that road goes nowhere. Trucks! Umm dangerous , noisy and dirty. Not thought out at all with no regard to the area residents . The “city” thought they were doing them a favour. NOT! No plan, no vision ( and not cloudy Vision party . Homelessness in 15? ) no foresight. We let the Neon City slip right away. Expo ? A disaster. Greed by a certain billionaire who can not even be bothered to name his own yacht. Jim your no Harold A Jones for one!
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