Kamloops posted Mar 12, 2025 @ 09:26am by Cheyanna Lorraine

Red Bridge clean up work finished, planning for long-term solution to start this spring

After nearly six months, debris removal and river cleanup around the former Red Bridge has finished.

The province is now preparing for the next phase of planning for a new transportation route.

The bridge, which was built in 1936, burned down in September 2024. The RCMP believe an arsonist caused the fire.

By early October, clean up work began as the BC’s Ministry of Transportation and Transit partnered with Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc and the City of Kamloops.

<who> Photo Credit: City of Kamloops

In a news release issued Wednesday morning, the ministry said divers finished a final sweep of the river to check for remaining debris.

River clean up wrapped up earlier this month. Onshore work on both slides of the river, a beach cleanup and restoration work in Pioneer Park have also been completed.

According to the news release, the next steps will include the province issuing a request for proposals for a consultant planning and design team to lead planning work for a long-term solution.

The bridge was the major route between Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc and downtown Kamloops and the loss has impacted people’s travel routes.

The province says consultation work is expected to start this spring.

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