It could be early spring of 2007 before the damage to the Simon Fraser Bridge is repaired.

The Provincial Ministry of Transportation has assessed the damage caused earlier this month when the load on a transport truck, slammed into the structure as the truck attempted to go through the underpass that links Queensway and Ferry Avenue.

The Ministry says structural engineers say the bridge is “functioning normally” and the integrity of the bridge was not compromised by the impact.

Meantime, the Ministry is also continuing with its review of the planned twinning of the Simon Fraser Bridge. The budget for the design-build project was $32 million, the lowest bid came in at $47 million. The Ministry says it remains committed to the project and  while it reviews the project, it is possible the tender for the project may be broken into two parts, one for design, the other for construction.