Transit travel from South Surrey to Richmond and Vancouver will be improved with the widening of the BNSF railway overhead on Highway 99 to accommodate the shoulder bus lane currently under construction.

The 6.2-km long northbound shoulder bus lane on Highway 99 between King George Highway and Highway 91 will be completed this fall. When finished, transit buses will travel in their own lane on Highway 99 northbound from King George Highway to Highway 91, and from Steveston Highway to the Bridgeport Road exit.

This will result in faster, more efficient trips to Richmond and downtown Vancouver with a convenient connection to the Canada Line for South Surrey transit users.

The $4.4-million contract for the remaining work has been awarded to Tybo Contracting Ltd. Work is on the overhead is expected to begin this month and will be finished by the end of October.

This project is cost-shared between the Province of B.C. and Government of Canada. The federal contribution to this project comes from the $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which provides funding to provincial, territorial and municipal construction-ready infrastructure projects.

As part of the Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan, the $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund is providing funding to more than 4,100 infrastructure projects across the country. Since March 2009, a total federal investment of over $505.6 million has been committed to over 430 projects under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund across British Columbia.

Quick Facts:

There are three other sections of shoulder bus lane on Highway 99:

• A 2.8-km long northbound shoulder bus lane between Westminster Highway and Bridgeport Road, completed in September 2009.
• A 3.5-km long southbound shoulder bus lane from Sea Island Way to Westminster Highway, soon to be complete.
• A 4-km long northbound shoulder bus lane from Steveston Highway to Westminster Highway, soon to be complete.

Learn More:

Follow the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure online at: www.tranbc.ca

For further information on the Government of Canada's infrastructure investments in British Columbia, visit: www.creatingjobs.gc.ca

To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit: www.actionplan.gc.ca

Contact:

Jeff Knight
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-7707