The Government of British Columbia announced significant new funding to widen and improve Highway 1 through the Fraser Valley, that it says will relieve traffic congestion and help ease daily commutes between Langley and Abbotsford — whether by car, bus, bike or on foot.
“To make life better for people in the fast-growing Fraser Valley, our government is building the homes, schools, hospitals and highways families need,” said Premier David Eby. “By improving Highway 1, we’ll keep goods moving smoothly and help people get to work and back home faster, so they can spend less time stuck in traffic and more time with their families.”
New funding of $2.65 billion has been approved for upgrades to Highway 1 between Mount Lehman Road and Highway 11 in Abbotsford. This builds on the $2.34-billion provincial funding approved in fall 2023 for upgrades between 264th Street and Mount Lehman Road. The Fraser Valley Highway 1 Corridor Improvement Program will eventually see the highway expanded through the Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford toward Chilliwack.
“I know that many people in the Fraser Valley find travel increasingly difficult, given the traffic volume on Highway 1, and we’re working hard to address these concerns” said Dan Coulter, Minister of State for Infrastructure and Transit. “We’re focusing on improvements to the highway through widening to accommodate sustainable transportation and better, more accessible interchanges to make it easier and quicker for people to get where they need to go.”
Along the 28-kilometre stretch of Highway 1 between 216th Street and Abbotsford, overpasses at Peardonville Road, Bradner Road and the CPKC rail overhead will be rebuilt to improve the height clearance for commercial vehicles, improving safety for all road users. The Glover Road crossing has been completed.
New interchanges will be constructed at 232nd Street, 264th Street, Mount Lehman Road and Highway 11 to improve community connections, and to make travel by walking or bike safer and more accessible. High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes along the length of this section of highway and bus-on-shoulder lanes in some sections will make travel by transit quicker and more reliable.
Major construction will begin on the $2.34-billion section between 264th Street and Mount Lehman Road in 2024, with completion of the fourth major phase expected in 2029.
Procurement for the $2.65-billion improvements to Highway 1 between Mt. Lehman Road and Highway 11 – the fourth major phase – will begin in 2025. Major construction will start in 2026, with completion in 2031.
New funding
- Phase 3B – Mount Lehman Road to Highway 11:
- Government of B.C. funding: $2.65 billion
- Phase 3B of the program will see improvements to Highway 1 between Mount Lehman Road and Highway 11. This includes highway widening to add HOV/electric-vehicle lanes in each direction, a new Highway 11 interchange and replacement of Peardonville Road crossing.
- Construction activity underway in 2024 is advance work valued at $100 million in preparation for major construction, including tree clearing, soil removal and the pre-loading of soil. Major construction begins in 2026.
Previously confirmed funding
November 2023: Phase 3A – 264th Street to Mount Lehman Road
Government of B.C. funding: $2.34 billion
264th Street Interchange + highway widening:
- The centrepiece of Phase 3A will be a new 264th Street Interchange, reconfigured to better serve road users in the region. Along with allowing for more efficient goods movement, the new interchange will include improvements for active transportation, truck parking and public transit. A contract valued at $286.2 million has been awarded to KEA Fraser Valley Connectors, a partnership between Kiewit Infrastructure BC ULC and Emil Anderson Construction (EAC) Inc., with construction to begin in fall 2024.
Mainline West (Lefeuvre Road to Ross Road) + Bradner Road crossing:
- The project to replace the Bradner Road crossing, upgrade the Bradner Rest Area and widen 3.9 km of Highway 1 began in July 2024. A contract valued at $94 million has been awarded to Fraser Valley Safelink Partners (B.A. Blacktop Infrastructure Inc., and Carmacks Enterprises Ltd.).
Mount Lehman Road Interchange + highway widening:
- The upgrade to the Mount Lehman Interchange and the widening of 3.7 km of Highway 1 will be underway in fall 2024. A contract valued at $103.6 million has been awarded to Hall Jacob JV (a BD Hall Constructors Corp., Jacob Bros. Construction Inc. joint venture).
April 2019: Phase 2 – 216th Street to 264th Street:
- Funding: $345 million (cost-shared, with $96.05 million from Government of Canada and the remainder from Government of B.C.)
Glover Road crossing:
- The new Glover Road crossing over Highway 1 opened on May 24, 2024, restoring this important community connection for Township of Langley residents, and making it safer for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the highway at this location.
Highway 1 widening + new 232nd Street Interchange:
- Construction began in June 2024 on the project to widen 18 kilometres of Highway 1 between 216th Street and 264th Street to add HOV/electric-vehicle lanes and build a new 232nd Street Interchange.
CPKC rail overhead:
- The CPKC rail overhead will be replaced to improve the height clearance over Highway 1 and accommodate the addition of HOV lanes to the highway. This project will go to tender later in 2024.
Featured image: (BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure)
