Image: File photo, AbbyPD / A tractor-trailer erupted in flames after it struck the No. 3 Road overpass in this file photo from May 2023. The No. 3 Road overpass has been hit six times since 2021, the province said. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Overheight-detection system

Overheight-detection system for trucks coming to Fraser Valley overpass that’s been hit 6x since 2021

Mar 9, 2026 | 3:55 PM

CHILLIWACK/ABBOTSFORD — The province says construction has begun on a new overheight-detection system (OHDS) on a Highway 1 overpass between Chilliwack and Abbotsford that’s been struck six times since 2021.

Construction on the OHDS began Monday, March 9, 2026, on Highway 1 westbound at the No. 3 Road Interchange (exit 104). Once installed, the new system will use a combination of beam-break sensors, radar, cameras and flashing beacons to detect vehicles that exceed height limits and alert drivers, allowing them to divert before they reach the overpass.

“Overheight collisions are entirely preventable,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Transportation and Transit. “This new system will help ensure overheight commercial drivers get advanced warning before reaching the overpass. By combining proven detection tools with stronger enforcement methods, we are taking action to reduce the number of strikes and keep people and goods moving safely.”

The No. 3 Road location was chosen as the test site for the multi-technology approach because it has been the site of repeated collisions, which have caused costly repairs and major traffic delays. Since 2021, the overpass has been struck six times, resulting in extended closures.

“Preventing overpass strikes is a shared priority for industry and government,” said Dave Earle, president and CEO, BC Trucking Association. “Commercial carriers move over 90% of the goods that keep British Columbia’s economy running, and when infrastructure is damaged, it creates safety risks and major disruptions for all road users. Combined with proper training and ongoing enforcement, this type of investment supports safer highways and a more reliable transportation network for the movement of goods.”

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The OHDS is part of the province’s ongoing efforts to improve safety and protect highway travellers and infrastructure. Preventative measures, such as speed-limiter devices for heavy commercial vehicles, as well as in-cab warning devices for dump-style commercial vehicles capable of rising above 4.15 metres, are improving safety.

Since December 2021, as part of enhanced enforcement efforts to reduce infrastructure collisions, the province has suspended more than 45 carriers under investigation and issued more than $66,000 in violation tickets to involved drivers and carriers.

The project’s $2-million budget is funded through the 2025-26 Intelligent Transportation Systems program.