Three project teams remain in the hunt for the $1.4-billion Pattullo Bridge replacement project outside Vancouver, B.C., showcasing the continued progress of a project meant to replace an 80-year-old crossing of the Fraser River that connects Surrey and New Westminster.

The three teams all vie to construct a new four-lane crossing to replace the existing bridge. The new version will feature wider lanes and better connections to local road networks on either side of the bridge, all designed to help with efficient traffic flow.

The current four-lane bridge is known for its tight lanes and the lack of a barrier between oncoming traffic, prompting local officials to often close center lanes to reduce the potential for head-on collisions. The new bridge, along with the wider lanes, will include a center barrier and dedicated pedestrian and cyclist lanes separated from traffic by a barrier on both sides of the bridge.

While not an official announcement, early renderings of the possible bridge show a cable-stayed design.

“The existing Pattullo Bridge is nearing the end of its useful life,” said Claire Trevena, B.C. minister of transportation and infrastructure, in a statement. “The selection of the three teams gets us closer to breaking ground on this project that will improve safety and reliability for residents, commercial vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.”

The Province of British Columbia will fund and own the project, delivered by Transportation Investment Corp., a Crown corporation with the legislative authority to complete major transportation projects, similar to its role on the Port Mann Bridge project. TI Corp. will provide oversight and management of the delivery of the new Pattullo Bridge, along with other major projects across the province of British Columbia. TransLink, the regional transit agency, led the bridge through the conceptual development and planning phases and handed the project over to the province in 2018.

The province selected the design-build-finance model to create the replacement bridge. Removal of the existing bridge will occur once the new bridge opens.

The companies seeking the Pattullo Bridge project are:

• Fraser Community Connectors: Kiewit Canada Development Corp./T.Y. Lin International and International Bridge Technologies Inc.

• Flatiron, Dragados, Carlson Pattullo joint venture/ACS Infrastructure Canada Inc., Hochtieff PPP Solutions North America, LLC and COWI North America Ltd.

• Fraser Crossing Partners: SNC-Lavalin Capital Inc. and Acciona Infrastructure Canada Inc.

The two-stage, design-build-finance process includes separate technical and price proposals. The next phase requires each team to respond to a request for proposal.

The bridge is projected to open in 2023.

Follow Tim Newcomb on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.