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Cycling Vancouver: Crossing the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge

What to know before you go for a ride on this popular bridge connecting the east side of Vancouver with the North Shore.

Ironworkers Memorial Bridge (often called the “Second Narrows” bridge) connects East Vancouver to North Vancouver. 

The bridge itself features two shared, non-partitioned bike and pedestrian paths. Unless there are extraordinary circumstances (such as construction), the northbound bike path is on the east side of the bridge; the southbound bike path is on the west. The bike paths themselves are quite wide and well-paved and are comfortably separated from vehicle traffic by large barriers. 

As with most bridges, there is a mild incline or climb to reach the apex of the bridge, before a descent. Please note that the descent in both directions (north or southbound) can be fast. It is better to err on the side of caution when passing someone as the traffic on the bridge is very loud and the wind can often drown out warning calls or the sound of a bell.

There are several ways to access the northbound bike path. My favourite is to take Adanac east until Cassiar Street. Cassiar northbound will take you across East Hastings Street. Continue on Cassiar until it takes a bend right (east) and becomes Cambridge Street. At the point where Cassiar becomes Cambridge, there is a bike path on the left. The bike path heads north, paralleling the Trans-Canada Highway, and eventually flows onto the bike path.

The Ironworks Memorial Bridge is my preferred method to get to the North Shore if I am doing Seymour Demonstration Forest, Seymour Mountain, Indian River or Deep Cove.

Brian Lim likes to ride bikes (sometimes with his camera). He's a complete and consummate amateur - both in cycling and in photography, and says he doesn't take himself seriously - and neither should you. Lim wants to share his love of cycling, so please reach out if you want to talk! You'll find him on Instagram at @wheelsandwhisky.