Highway 1 widening long overdue, but much more is required
Federal infrastructure minister Francois-Philippe Champagne announced on Thursday that the federal government will commit to providing $108 million of the $235 million total cost to upgrade Highway 1 to six lanes between 216 and 264 Streets in Langley. Other funding partners are the B.C. government, represented by Premier John Horgan and Transportation Minister Claire Trevena at the ceremony, and the Township of Langley, represented by Mayor Jack Froese.
At long last, the NDP government has committed to follow through with a project announced by their predecessors - at least a portion of the project.
In March, 2017, the BC Liberal government announced it would widen Highway 1 from four to six lanes as far east as Whatcom Road in Abbotsford. A day afterwards, former transportation minister Todd Stone told CHNL Radio in Kamloops on that the project was “tender-ready” back then.
Two years later, the province has announced the widening from 216 to 264 Streets, at a total cost of $235 million. HOV lanes are to be added, and a truck driver rest area will be built further west in Surrey as part of the project. It will not be complete for another five years.
Premier John Horgan told those attending an announcement ceremony Thursday (which took place right next to the busy freeway) that the widening of the highway will be done in “digestable chunks.” He pledged the widening would continue to go eastwards at some point in the future.
Of course, “digestable chunks” is the only way infrastructure improvements can possibly take place. Governments cannot come up with billions of dollars for transportation projects in one year, and even if they could, there wouldn’t be enough workers to build them all at once.
On the same day, Metro Vancouver mayors announced that they had sent a letter to the premier, proposing a plan for the Massey Tunnel replacement project. The BC Liberals had proposed a toll bridge, and a minimal amount of preliminary work took place before the election two years ago. That proposal was opposed by almost all mayors, except Delta’s Lois Jackson. The NDP campaigned against that project, and plans for that crossing have been under study since the election.
The change in government, and change in transportation priorities, significantly delayed both proposals. The Highway 1 project will not be complete until 2025. The Massey Tunnel replacement may not be complete until 2030, according to Delta Mayor George Harvie. The mayors would like it to be complete no later than 2026.
One piece of good news - much more federal money is being made available for these projects than ever before. The federal government is paying for almost half of the Highway 1 widening project, and it appears it will assist with the Massey Tunnel project as well. It has also committed large sums to transit improvements.
Transit isn’t offering any additional relief to congestion in this area at present. The first phase of the SkyTrain project along Fraser Highway, likely to be built in phases, won’t be complete before 2025. Many bus routes South of the Fraser are among the most congested in the region, and transit service in parts of Langley and further east - particularly along the major corridors - is almost non-existent. One lonely bus route runs from Abbotsford and Chilliwack to the Carvolth interchange in Langley, a few times each day.
Increasing congestion is also partially due to some uncomfortable truths. Many people have been forced to move to Abbotsford and Chilliwack, because they can’t afford housing within Metro Vancouver. Rents have shot up and buying is out of the question for many.
If they have to move that far away, they have to drive. The costs of fuel have shot up dramatically, eating away at what little disposable income they have.
There is no relief in sight for any of these issues. Life in this area is even more unaffordable than it has been.
All of this is apart from the increasing increasing costs to transport goods on these busy highway corridors. At Thursday's ceremony, it was noted that about eight to nine per cent of all trips on Highway 1 in Langley involve commercial goods. Truck drivers are tied up for hours in congestion there and elsewhere. This costs money - lots of it - and consumers pay the bills for it.
The much higher cost of gasoline and diesel fuel also adds costs that we all pay.
The reality is this - federal and provincial governments have long ignored the rapid growth south of the Fraser, which began when Highway 1 and 99 (originally 401 and 499) were opened in the early 1960s. Past delays are returning to haunt them - and are costing everyone who lives and/or works beyond the Port Mann Bridge and Massey Tunnel a great deal in time, money and frustration.
There is no relief in sight for any of these issues. Life in this area is even more unaffordable than it has been.
All of this is apart from the increasing increasing costs to transport goods on these busy highway corridors. At Thursday's ceremony, it was noted that about eight to nine per cent of all trips on Highway 1 in Langley involve commercial goods. Truck drivers are tied up for hours in congestion there and elsewhere. This costs money - lots of it - and consumers pay the bills for it.
The much higher cost of gasoline and diesel fuel also adds costs that we all pay.
The reality is this - federal and provincial governments have long ignored the rapid growth south of the Fraser, which began when Highway 1 and 99 (originally 401 and 499) were opened in the early 1960s. Past delays are returning to haunt them - and are costing everyone who lives and/or works beyond the Port Mann Bridge and Massey Tunnel a great deal in time, money and frustration.
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