The Red Bridge was a road bridge that spanned the South Thompson River in Kamloops, British Columbia. The 400-metre long (1,300 ft) bridge carried two narrow road lanes of Mt. Paul Way between Lorne Street on the south bank of the river to the Mt. Paul industrial area on the north side. Mt. Paul Way then continued for 1.3 km (0.81 mi) through the industrial park to intersect with Highway 5. The Red Bridge was of the Howe truss design, and was one of the only remaining functioning bridges of this type in British Columbia. It was completely destroyed by fire on September 19, 2024. [1]

The bridge got its name from the red-coloured paint applied to the bridge's piers and, more prominently, pedestrian handrails. This legacy stretches back to the first and second bridges, meaning the name was already well-established by the time the current bridge was built. The wood surrounding the piers had not been repainted in many years, so the colour was barely visible, but a recent repainting along the edges of the bridge deck and the pedestrian handrails displayed the namesake colour well.

The 1936 bridge was the third to open in that location. The first, which replaced a ferry, officially called the Government Bridge, was constructed in 1887; it contained a swing span to accommodate river traffic. In 1909, flooding in the region damaged the wooden structure of the bridge, and it was replaced in 1912. The 1912 bridge was destroyed by a fire in 1934 ignited by a spark thrown from a passing paddle steamer. The bridge erected in 1936 was the current structure as of 2024, although it saw many modifications and heavy repair in the 88 years that it stood. On September 19, 2024, The Red Bridge was destroyed by fire and three spans collapsed into the South Thompson River.

For media coverage of the loss of the bridge, see:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/red-bridge-fire-1.7327873

https://www.kamloops.ca/our-community/news-events/news-releases/kamloops-tkemlups-mourn-loss-historic-red-bridge