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Backgrounders

Chase four-laning project details

The Province has committed more than $1 billion to upgrading Highway 1 between Kamloops and the Alberta border over the next three years under Budget 2020. This Highway 1 four-laning project will improve safety and reliability west of the Village of Chase for people travelling along the corridor.

  • The total budget for the Chase four-laning project is now $260.3 million. This includes up to $12.1 million from the Government of Canada under the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component of the New Building Canada Fund.
  • Original estimates for the Chase four-laning project were completed in 2015, with limited engagement and engineering and reflect a very early level of understanding about the project.
  • Since then, significant detailed engineering investigations, along with consultation with the Pespesellkwe of the Secwepemc Nation and the Village of Chase have been completed. Due to these factors, along with increasing labour costs and a hot construction market, a budget increase of $61.1 million was required.
  • This is a higher volume section of Highway 1. It carries between 9,000 and 12,000 vehicles per day, with peak daily volumes exceeding 20,000.
  • Approximately 20% of the average daily traffic is heavy trucks and commercial carriers moving between communities, the Lower Mainland and other provinces.
  • BC Infrastructure Benefits (BCIB) will provide employment and training opportunities for this project. It is anticipated that approximately 45 worksite employees will be hired for each construction season. BCIB has estimated apprenticeship and training targets for this project to be between 8% and 18%.
  • BCIB is the provincial Crown corporation established in 2018 to implement the Community Benefits Agreement: https://www.bcib.ca/reporting-and-resources/, and https://www.bcib.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Community-Benefits-Agreement.pdf

Below is an update on the three segments originally included in this project:

Hoffman’s to Chase Creek Road

  • This segment is complex and runs through one of the Neskonlith Indian Band’s Indian Reserves.
  • Government is continuing the process of developing a detailed design and determining the property required, while addressing any concerns and impacts as a result of that design with the Neskonlith Indian Band.
  • This segment remains a priority but is not currently included in the construction schedule while work is being done.

Chase Creek Road to Chase West

  • 3.3 kilometres of highway widening, upgrades to highway intersections and frontage roads, and construction of a cattle underpass and multi-use pathway.
  • The tender for this segment is now live on BCBid.
  • Following an open bidding process, construction will begin in late summer 2020.

Chase West to Chase Creek Bridge

  • 1.6 kilometres of highway widening, grade-separated interchange at Brooke Drive and extended improvements on Brooke Drive at Shuswap Avenue.
  • Detailed design work and consultation are ongoing. Work is expected to get underway in 2021.