Pattullo Bridge: 5 things you may not have known

The 79-year-old Pattullo Bridge that is currently undergoing a complete deck resurfacing and causing headaches for many commuters has an interesting past.

• Pattullo Bridge lane closures start today: single lane in both directions

Historian Michael Klucknershared some ofthe bridge's historyon the CBC's TheEarly Edition.

1. It was named after a premier

The bridge, which opened in 1937, was named after former B.C. Premier ThomasDufferinPattullo.

"He was the premier who built the bridge andthey named it after him, which I don't think you can get away with now," Kluckner said.

2. Nicknamed 'Pay-toll-a'

In the late 1930s the nickname 'Pay-toll-a' took offbecause it was a toll bridge.

3. It cost $4 million to build

PremierPattulloinvestedmoney to buildthe bridge despite therecession at the time.

The price tagwas $4 million, including the cost of the main contract, cement, purchase of right-of-way, and realigning and resurfacing of highways approaching the bridge.

The cost of the rehabilitation work on the bridge currently underway is$10million from May to October.

The structure was also the first bridge in Canada to be illuminated by sodium vapour lamps,likethe San Francisco Golden Gate bridge.

4. 5,000 cars a day

When it was newly built 5000 cars drove across the bridge eachday, according to New Westminster Parks and Recreation.

Today 80,000 cars cross the bridgeon an average weekday.

5. It opened upSurrey

"It made the cheap land in Surrey really attractive,"saidKluckner.

He said the bridge turned Surrey into a suburb.

"There was no real shopping infrastructure in Surrey at that time."

With files from the CBC's The Early Edition and Christine Coulter.