Image: BC Govt. / Flickr /  The B.C. government announced Thursday (May 23) that the next stage of improvements to Highway 1 in Langley will begin this summer. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Highway 1

B.C. govt. says Highway 1 widening through Fraser Valley will start this summer

May 23, 2024 | 3:15 PM

FRASER VALLEY — The B.C. government announced Thursday (May 23) that the next stage of improvements to Highway 1 in Langley will begin this summer, but no completion end date was included in Thursday’s press release from the government.

According to a news release from the province, high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes will be added, accompanied by a new interchange at 232 Street as part of the government’s Fraser Valley Highway 1 Corridor Improvement Program.

“We’re set to start major construction this summer to widen Highway 1 between 216th and 264th streets and upgrade another essential crossing at 232nd Street,” said Rob Fleming, B.C.’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “This is important progress in our plans to improve and widen Highway 1 through to Chilliwack, so we can improve travel and transit services for people in the Fraser Valley.”

While the government claims that Highway 1 will be widened through to Chilliwack, current plans only call for improvements through to exit 109, Yale Road West, west of town and not through to the Lickman Road and Vedder Road interchanges. The B.C. government has also not issued any kind of firm date when these improvements through to exit 109, Yale Road West, might be completed.

Now that utilities have been relocated and other initial work completed, the government says construction can proceed this summer to widen approximately 10 kilometres of Highway 1 in Langley. The wider highway will facilitate the construction of eastbound and westbound HOV and electric vehicle (EV) lanes in the median lane between the 216 Street and 264 Street interchanges.

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“The work to widen Highway 1 and improve key crossings is of vital importance not only for motorized vehicles, but also for community members,” said Sean Fraser, federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. “The new Glover Road crossing and other improvements will facilitate safer, more efficient commutes for folks travelling through the area, whether that be by car, bus, bike or on foot. I’m proud to celebrate the progress we’ve made and look forward to the work to come, which will further support the needs of our growing community.”

A $140-million contract for the highway expansion and construction of new 232n Street interchange work has been awarded to Hall Jacob JV (a BD Hall Constructors Corp., Jacob Bros. Construction Inc. joint venture).

This section of Highway 1 usually operates at capacity during peak periods. The government claims that the addition of new HOV lanes in each direction, coupled with a more efficient 232 Street interchange, will ease congestion and create faster, smoother travel through the Fraser Valley. However, it’s not uncommon for multiple accidents and slowdowns to occur on many weekdays, calling into question the government’s claims that widening a stretch of Highway 1 will adequately and consistently alleviate congestion.

The new 232 Street interchange will have improved accessibility and better connect communities on either side of the highway, the province said. The reconfigured crossing will include three-metre-wide multi-use pathways in both directions and increased height clearance.

Work is almost complete on the new Glover Road crossing, another important part of the 216th-264th portion of the Fraser Valley Highway 1 improvements. A wider, higher Glover Road crossing over Highway 1 is slated to open in the coming days, restoring this important route for residents in Langley and offering a safer crossing for pedestrians and cyclists.

The Highway 1 widening project from 216 to 264 Street is valued at $345 million. The Government of Canada is contributing as much as $96.05 million to this project through the New Building Canada Fund, meaning roughly $249 million will come from the provincial government.