There are an estimated 80,000 drivers who us this stretch of highway daily with more than $65 billion in goods moving along corridor annually.
FRASER VALLEY – Commuters will experience less congestion on their travels between Langley and Abbotsford on Highway 1 due to provincial funding.
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.
“This dedicated funding for construction will support the businesses and people that drive our growing region, meaning more Abbotsford workers, residents and businesses can get where they are going faster and safer,” says Alex Mitchell, CEO of the Abbotsford Chamber. “The Chamber has been advocating for this for many years, and now that the funding has been committed, we need to see a plan to expedite construction as fast as possible to keep Fraser Valley businesses moving.”
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. There are an estimated 80,000 drivers who us this stretch of highway daily with more than $65 billion in goods moving along corridor annually.
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.
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.
Source: Province of BC & Business Examiner Staff
