Anyone who has driven across the Okanagan Lake floating bridge has probably wondered about the guy in the tower. The guy who holds the power to lift the span or change the flow of traffic at the flick of a switch.

Andre DeZwaan is one of a handful of employees who sits atop the floating bridge and whose job will come to an end when the new bridge opens May 25.

DeZwaan has been at the job for 20 years and says there's no question that Kelowna needed a new bridge. But he says it's not the bridge that's causing the traffic congestion.

"Every year, the traffic gets noticeably worse, especially the last few years. We're getting to the point where it's not the bridge but the lights at each end of it that are causing the problems."

He says he's not convinced that a new five lane bridge, without the option to alternate the lanes, will solve the problem.

"The idea of five lanes without an alternate lane won't last very long. As far as I know, there's no plan for a lane control system. We have two lanes coming into town now and when the new bridge is built, we will still have two lanes coming into town. So, if we have a stall, then we will only have one lane going in and three going out."

DeZwaan says the solution to the Kelowna's traffic congestion is a second crossing.

During his two decades in the bridge tower, DeZwaan has seen his fair share of things -- some tragic including jumpers.

"I've seen people do it for fun and I've seen people commit suicide. I've seen a guy drown. I threw him a life ring, but he died. That was difficult. I've also had guys run up to the top (90 feet) and jump off for a thrill."

DeZwaan says a little known secret about the floating bridge is that it doesn't like trailers.

"In the Spring, there's high water and that causes a buckle between the floating and fixed sections of the bridge that tends to kick trailers off. I've seen motorists lose their travel trailer without them knowing. Imagine, you're travelling down the bridge and your trailer unhooks and the driver keeps on going. A tow truck had to come take it away."

DeZwaan has also seen his fair share of one-finger-salutes, but one incident sticks out from the rest and it involves an angry boater.

"There's only one that sticks out and it was some tourist from Ontario who had rented a houseboat. He had been told that we would raise the lift span for his houseboat, but we had made a policy that houseboats would have to lower bimini tops instead of lifting the span. So he floated around for three hours and called to say he would like his lift. I told him to lower his bimini top and he said: 'Oh no, they told me that you would lift the span. Who do you think you are? God!' He was furious. I even got a police escort after my shift because I thought he was going to come up here and shoot me. He was livid."

DeZwaan admits lifting the span was getting a little tricky because of repeated electrical problems.

"Lately we were wondering if the span would lift. It was becoming a little like Russian Roulette, so we were becoming a little gun shy at the end."

The lift span was put out of commission several weeks ago in preparation for the opening of the new Bennett Bridge.

So what would DeZwaan like to see happen to the old bridge? Blow it up.

"This bridge will be 50-years-old this July so it's a good time to end it. But I thought we should add a few more fireworks and blow the old one up and sink it."

Video interview with Andre DeZwaan. (Kelly Hayes)