Metro Vancouver summer roadwork ramps up

Summer roadwork season just keeps gearing up in Metro Vancouver, as some new closures kick in on Thursday.

You can add the East 1st Avenue onramp to Highway 1 westbound in Vancouver to the list — it is closed until Aug. 4.

There have already been weeks of westbound delays and disruptions on the freeway due to the recent closure of the 1st Avenue off-ramp and the reconstruction of the Kensington Avenue exit in Burnaby, which is expected to reopen at the end of August.

Also, this week, the Broadway Subway Project in Vancouver is reducing Broadway to one lane each way between Oak and Willow streets.

The ongoing megaproject between VCC-Clark Station and Arbutus Street was originally scheduled to be completed this year, but that has been delayed to Fall 2027.

The City of Vancouver’s map of current traffic impacts and construction is a patchwork of yellow and red, with the engineering department spotlighting almost two dozen active major projects.

It includes more major sewer work along West 49th Avenue between Alberta and Ontario streets. That will mean traffic and transit detours during a full closure of the intersection of 49th Avenue and Alberta Street for approximately the next four weeks. Once that first stage is complete, it’s local traffic only on 49th Avenue after that between Main and Cambie streets until the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the City of Surrey says it is working on over $100 million in infrastructure improvements this summer, part of the largest annual capital investment program in its history. That includes:

• 132 Street road widening between 72 Avenue to 76 Avenue;
• 64 Avenue road widening between 152 Street to 164 Street;
• 72 Avenue widening between 188 Street to 196 Street;
• 140 Street road widening from 88 Avenue to 92 Avenue;
• 32 Avenue road widening from Hwy 15 to 184 Street;
• 192 Street road widening between 16 Avenue and 28 Avenue (construction commencing later this summer);
• 32 kilometres of repaving major/arterial road corridors; and
• Major intersection improvements at Harvie Road and 88 Avenue, Crescent Road and 128 Street, and various other locations;

“To reduce impacts on drivers, many construction activities are being scheduled during evenings, weekends, and the summer months when traffic volumes are typically lower. We recognize that traffic delays are sometimes unavoidable and appreciate the ongoing patience and support of our residents,” said a spokesperson for City of Surrey Engineering.

While some of the region’s larger municipalities are undertaking dozens of projects through the summer months, even smaller cities are feeling the effects of construction and paving, sometimes from their neighbours.

“Construction is always disruptive, especially in an urban environment,” said David Pollock, Langley City director of Engineering, Parks and Environment.

“One of the things we are cognizant of is the impact of other municipalities. We are obviously adjacent to both Surrey and the Township of Langley, and sometimes their projects can direct traffic into the city. We are trying to minimize impacts as best we can,” Pollock explained.

Major summer projects around Metro Vancouver

Burnaby:

• Closure of Kensington Avenue exit westbound off Highway 1;
• North Road sewer upgrades;
• Central Park water main – Imperial Street section;
• Boundary Road water main work at Fellowes Street, as well as the laneway north of Edinburgh Street;
• Douglas Road water main – Still Creek Drive south section;
• Gilmore Avenue upgrades between Lougheed Highway and Halifax Street.

New Westminster:

• Columbia Street night closures July 14 to 19, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. (weather dependent);
• Rotary Crosstown Greenway, between 5th and 8th streets;
• 8th Avenue closure – 20th Street to 12th Street, July 2 to Aug. 29;
• McInnes Overpass North – eastbound closure June 2 to August 2025;
• Sidewalk rehabilitation – Carnarvon Street, between 8th and McInnes streets, May 28 to July 18;
• Uptown Plaza and 6th Street public realm improvements, southbound traffic closure July 14 to Aug. 5;
• West End sewer separation and water main replacement project;
• Metro Vancouver Royal Avenue pump station upgrade, Spring 2024 – Fall 2025;
• Phase two of the Royal Columbian Hospital redevelopment project is underway;
• Pattullo Bridge replacement project.

Coquitlam:

• Austin Avenue from Schoolhouse Street to Gatensbury Street: ongoing sewer work July 14 – end of August;
• Barnett Highway from Falcon Drive to Westwood Street: minor road repairs overnight July 7 – 12;
• Upcoming road repaving:
  • On Cornell Avenue from Schoolhouse Street to Poirier Street, August through October;
  • On Falcon Drive from Guildford Way to the Port Moody border, July 21 – end of August;
  • On Honeysuckle Lane from Bluebell Avenue to Lansdowne Drive, July 21 – end of August;
  • Mundy Street from Austin Avenue to Dawes Hill Road: repaving and road safety improvements, July 14 – mid-August;
  • Pipeline Road from Guildford Way to Gabriola Drive: road widening ongoing until winter 2025;
• Metro Vancouver Regional District work:
  • North Road from Lougheed Highway to Cottonwood Avenue: ongoing pavement rehabilitation July 7 – 11;
  • Pipeline Road from Gabriola Drive to Robson Drive: ongoing until fall 2026;
• Upcoming BC Hydro work:
  • On North Road from Young Drive to Lougheed Highway, the third week of July.

Richmond:

• Metro Vancouver construction – Gilbert Road (Blundell Road to Francis Road), ongoing;
• No. 2 Road at Westminster Highway, capital intersection construction;
• No. 2 Road on ramp from River Road to Westminster Highway – BC Hydro and Fortis BC
• No. 2 Road on ramp from River Road closed crossing over No. 2 Road to River Road at River Road – LIEC (July 14-26)
• Gilbert Road MUP North of Granville Avenue to Elmbridge Way – capital works
• Westminster Highway at Garden City Road – capital intersection construction
• Cambie Road at No. 4 Road – Capital intersection construction
• No. 4 Road (Westminster Hwy to Granville Ave) – Capital works
• Minoru Blvd. (Granville Ave to Westminster Hwy) – CF & Urban One (Ongoing)
• No 7 Road (Cambie Rd to Hwy 91) July to September – Capital works
• No 2 Road (Walton Rd – Williams Rd) June to August (Telus Copper Reclamation)
• Williams Road (No 2 Rd – No 4 Rd) July to August (Telus Copper Reclamation)
• 10000 Block Cambie Road – Sidewalk, Curb, Gutter Works – July
• Garden City Road @ Capstan Way – Sewer Installation Works – July
• 10060 No. 5 Road – Off-Site Civil, Curb, Gutter Works – May to August
• Bridgeport Road (No. 5 Road to Sweden Way) – Road paving
• No. 6 Road (Bridgeport Road to River Road) – Road paving – July
• Cambie Road (Shell Road to No. 5 Road) – Road paving – July
• Moncton Street (Railway Avenue to No. 2 Road) – Road paving – August
• Cambie Road (No. 4 Road to Shell Road) – August
• Francis Road (Railway Ave to No. 2 Road) – August

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With files from Sonia Aslam.