Okanagan Lake Bridge

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**Kelowna Floating Bridge**
Official name	Okanagan Lake Bridge
Carries	3 reversible traffic lanes of BC Highway 97, pedestrians
Crosses	Okanagan Lake
Locale	Kelowna, BC
Maintained by	BC Ministry of Transportation
Design	Pontoon bridge
Total length	650 m (2,100 feet)
Opening date	July 19, 1958
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The Okanagan Lake Bridge (also known as the Kelowna Floating Bridge) is a three-lane, 2,100 foot/650 metre-long floating bridge across Okanagan Lake, from Kelowna, British Columbia on the eastern side to the Westside area. Completed in 1958, the bridge was the first of its kind in Canada. The bridge was partially funded through tolls, which were collected from its opening until April 1st, 1963.^[1]

The bridge serves as an important regional transportation link in the Okanagan Valley, joining the southward section of BC Highway 97 on the west side of the lake to the northward section on the east side, and connecting Westbank and points south to Lake Country and points north.

The floating bridge is slated for replacement as it has outlived its usefulness and is incapable of supporting the current traffic levels. The construction of a new replacement bridge -- the William R. Bennett Bridge -- began in 2005 and is scheduled to be completed in 2008.