The decision on whether or not to keep the current structure in service will determine the amount of rehabilitation work that it would need.

The Pattullo Bridge was built in 1937 and transferred to Translink in 1999. Translink has since spent about US$20 million to combat corrosion and implement a series of safety measures. Further rehabilitation work could extend the bridge's life by at least 50 years at a cost of up to US$201 million. However, this would not solve one of the key issues, which is that the traffic lanes are significantly narrower than on modern bridges.