The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is starting work this week on a $2-million Highway 7 median barrier project for Maple Ridge.

“The ministry has worked closely with local government and the community to find ways to improve safety for the travelling public along this busy stretch of Highway 7 in Maple Ridge,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone. “We are pleased to get started on this important safety upgrade for this corridor, which will greatly improve safety for all motorists. The B.C. government is making record investments in modern, safe infrastructure, through which a reliable and efficient transportation network is continually being improved.”

Starting this week, crews will begin to install median barrier along a 6.6-kilometre stretch of Highway 7, extending from 240 Street to 272 Street. Once completed, the centre barrier will divide the four-lane highway, improving safety and preventing head-on collisions and other crossover incidents.

“We all know it can be challenging to drive during bad weather conditions such as fog, rain and snow, as well as when it’s dark,” said Maple Ridge-Mission MLA Marc Dalton. “This new median barrier will be a welcome safety upgrade along this busy stretch of highway, especially when it’s hard to see while driving during bad weather or at night. Many local drivers use this corridor every day to get to work or school, and this will be an excellent safety improvement to improve their commutes.”

“This important safety upgrade makes sense for local citizens, commercial drivers and tourists alike,” said Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows MLA Doug Bing. “Once the new median barrier is up, it will act as a physical and visual barrier for drivers, helping to prevent crossover accidents from happening, and boosting safety for all drivers who navigate this highway. MLA Dalton and I have been advocating for median barrier along this stretch of the corridor, and we are happy to see work getting underway.”

The project will be delivered in two phases. The first phase will see median barriers installed from River Road to Spilsbury Road starting this week and finishing in early March. The second phase of the project includes the remainder of the barrier for the corridor between 240 and 272 streets, minor widening of six intersections to accommodate safe left-turn movements and the construction of a protected “T” intersection at the truck pullout to provide turnaround opportunities.

The second phase is expected to get underway in the summer. Project completion is anticipated in fall 2017.

“This is a great start to safety improvements on Lougheed Highway,” said Maple Ridge Mayor Nicole Read. “We look forward to future projects along the Haney Bypass and on the section that runs through the City of Maple Ridge from 222 Street west to Pitt Meadows. We are all committed to greater safety for citizens along this important transportation route.”

On average, 20,000 vehicle trips are made every day along this section of Highway 7. This route serves local traffic, the movement of commercial goods, and tourists.

Over the last decade, the ministry has invested more than $300 million on the Highway 7 corridor, including:

• the seven-lane Pitt River Bridge;
• the Mary Hill Bypass;
• four-laning from Nelson Street to Wren Street;
• replacing the two-lane Silverdale Creek Bridge with a four-lane bridge;
• the HOV/Rapid Bus Lane project from Harris Road to Dewdney Trunk Road; and
• the Nelson Street intersection safety-improvement project in Mission.

This project is a part of B.C. on the Move, government’s 10-year transportation plan. Over the next three years, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and its partners will be investing over $4.6 billion in priority investments to improve B.C.'s transportation network.

Learn more:

B.C. on the Move:  www.gov.bc.ca/bconthemove

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Online: http://www.tranbc.ca