The governments of Canada and British Columbia, alongside project partners, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Tsawwassen First Nation, have invested over $260 million in safe, high-quality roads in the community of Delta and the surrounding areas.
The Highway 91/17 and Deltaport Way upgrades mean improved traffic flow and more efficient routes for commuters.
“Our government’s investments to improve the quality of our roads and traffic flow will help save time for residents south of the Fraser River,” says Carla Qualtrough, Federal Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion. “We will continue to work with our municipal and provincial partners to make improvements to our infrastructure and, in turn, improve the quality of life for all residents of Delta.”
“The improved connections on this Highway will save time for commuters while also making goods movement in the region more efficient, benefitting people and businesses in Delta,” says Rob Fleming, B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.
“The Project will improve safety and get people and goods moving faster south of the Fraser River,” says Derek Drummond, Executive Project Director. “The Highway 91/17 Upgrade Project is a series of road and highway upgrades in Delta BC, on Highway 91, Highway 17 and the Highway 91 Connector, which will provide a more reliable route through Delta for local residents, commercial truck drivers, transit operators, first responders and other travelers.”
The Project created approximately 745 direct construction jobs, and comprised of an all-local workforce, as well as contracts and subcontracting opportunities with local Indigenous businesses.
“Construction on the project started in spring 2020, and we reached substantial completion last fall, which means all of the interchanges and road upgrades are open at full capacity,” says Drummond. The project is on track for completion this spring, once the remaining work including landscaping, line painting, site demobilization and other minor works is complete.
Pacific Gateway Constructors, a consortium comprised of Ledcor (40%), Aecon (35%) and BEL Contracting (25%), is carrying out the contract awarded by the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Pacific Gateway Constructors employed local trades for the project, and awarded over $16 million in contract value to local Indigenous businesses and partnerships through subcontracting opportunities.
“The Design-Builder worked with a number of Indigenous nations to offer employment and contracting opportunities, resulting in substantial sub-contracting with member-owned and joint-venture businesses,” says Drummond. “In addition, the Ministry contracted environmental consulting services directly with a local First Nation to assist with monitoring of project construction and environmental offsetting.”
The Ministry also partnered with a local First Nation to undertake Fraser River foreshore clean-up and planting on a residual property outside of the project area”.
As part of the broader Highway 91/17 and Deltaport Way Upgrade program, the 27B Avenue improvements were jointly funded by Tsawwassen First Nation and the Government of Canada.
Improve traffic flow
The project is designed to improve the operation of existing roads—both from an efficiency and traffic safety perspective. “The new and improved interchanges, and the elimination of intersections and an at-grade rail crossing, promote better movement of goods and services through the province and a combination of new direct-access roads and additional turning lanes give local residents better connectivity,” says Drummond.
The project supports community and economic development, with better access to employment areas, faster access between south Delta and north Delta/Surrey, improved access to cycling connections, and improved permitting and inspection service for commercial vehicle operators.
“The upgrades are designed to better manage the interaction between industrial and local traffic, both of which are growing in this area of the region,” says Drummond, adding, “The project supports port-related local industrial traffic growth that is a significant contributor to our economy.”
The improvements also mean better access to the Nordel commercial vehicle inspection station, including a dedicated lane to separate trucks from local traffic and improvements to truck access from the Highway 91 Connector to Highway 91.
There is an environmental perspective to the project, as well. “Improving the free-flow of traffic through the region and building the infrastructure to be more resilient to climate change-related extreme weather events are two ways that the Highway 91/17 and Deltaport Way upgrades fit into the ministry’s Goods Movement Strategy, to make goods movement smarter, cleaner, and more competitive,” says Drummond.
Drummond adds that as the project nears completion, his team is already seeing the benefits to residents. “I took on the role of Executive Project Director last fall, and it has been my privilege to work with the team to ensure the Project is implemented in a matter that is safe, efficient, on time and budget, and serves the community as the Ministry intended—creating a more reliable transportation network in Delta for all.”
“As we approach total completion this spring, it’s rewarding to see the improvements and infrastructure already making a difference in people’s lives.”
For more information, please visit: www2.gov.bc.ca
