The Port Mann / Highway 1 Project - now well underway - comprises of improvements and widening of Highway 1 from McGill Street in Vancouver to 216th Street in Langley. The project is of 37 kilometres in length, and comprises of interchange construction to improve and replace many of the interchanges which were completed when the Port Mann / Cassiar Street section of Highway 1 was opened in 1964. Historical Background - Port Mann Bridge opens on June 12, 1964. 1962 Chevron road map showing principal routes in the Greater Vancouver area. Highway 99 from Ladner to Vancouver is shown green as it was a tolled route from its completion in 1959 to the removal of tolls on April 1st, 1964. The new freeway from Abbotsford to Vancouver was fully completed in 1964. Speed limit was 60 MPH (100 km/h) from Vancouver to the Port Mann and 70 MPH (120 km/h) from Port Mann to the then freeway's end in Bridal Falls east of Chillwack. The Cassiar section was not completed until opening in early 1991. The Port Mann Bridge begins to span the Fraser River in this view looking north east north to Port Coquitlam. Mary Hill is in the distance, the cut on the east side was a former large gravel pit. The Port Mann Bridge continues over the Fraser River in this view west north west from Surrey to Coquitlam.         Completing the Port Mann Bridge in 1965. This view is from the Surrey side looking towards Coquitlam,   Port Mann Bridge after completion, at Surrey end. The railings had a unique fixture, a continious florscent lighting along the entire length of the bridge. The lighting was replaced later with high mast lights. The Greater Vancouver region at the time the Port Mann Bridge and Highway 1 opened, had a population of approximately 750,000. Historical Background - HOV lane added in 1999. The crossing did not receive any major upgrades until November,1999 when a $60 million project to add a 5th lane - an eastbound only HOV lane - was begun. The project was completed in 2002. The project comprised of placing the maintainance sidewalk onto wingdecks, removing the existing steel centre barrier, replacing with a concrete safety barrier and widening the bridge deck 1.5m on each side. The project also included establishment of an on ramp from the Lougheed Highway to westbound Highway 1 and improvements to the Mary Hill bypass. At the time of construction of the HOV lane, about 120,000 vehicles a day were using the bridge. The project was a continuation of an earlier completed project to provide a westbound and eastbound HOV lane from the Port Mann Bridge to Grandview Highway in Burnaby/Vancouver. This equipment was used to move materials from one side of the bridge to the other and to lift materials from the surface during the reconfiguration of the bridge. It resulted in much less traffic disruption than using conventional crane wheeled equipment.   Original configuration before widening. After widening. The motorcyclist is using the HOV lane. From Vancouver to Langley, Highway 1 is a heavily used route for commercial vehicles and commuters and is well beyond its original service capacity. The Project - Construction began on February 4, 2009. The Port Mann Bridge, is being replaced with a new 10 lane structure that will also have features for cycling across the Fraser River. The new bridge is also designed to carry a future rapid transit line. The new bridge was announced on February 4, 2009.   New bridge design unveiled by Premier Campell and Minister of Transportation Kevin Falcon.   Dave with project workers. Large pipes in the background are foundations for the piers.   The new bridge from Surrey looking northeast. The South Fraser Perimeter Road can be seen underneath. Centre section of the new bridge. Seperated lanes will direct traffic to Coquitlam (westbound) and Surrey (eastbound) and provide express lanes for HOV and through traffic. The new bridge from Surrey looking northwest. A third of the way to completion.       The Premier along with Minister of Transportaton and Infrastructure Shirley Bond, MLAs Rich Coleman (Ft. Langley-Aldergrove), Mary Polack (Langley) Harry Bloy (Burnaby-Lougheed) Dave Hayer and Marc Dalton (Maple Ridge Mission) note that as of July 22nd, 2010, the project is one-third completed.   The east end of the new Port Mann Bridge takes shape. The gantry is a walking parallel beam structure that lifts sections into place where they are bonded with epoxy resin, sealed and moves forward to place more sections. The equipment is similar to that used to build the Millenium Line and above ground sections of the Canada Line.   The approach deck to the new bridge looking northeeast. The piers in the foreground have reached their design height and will be ready to be fitted with the top cap upon which the roadway wlll rest.   As high as a 50 storey building, the east pier is about 80% of the way to being completed. The two tower piers will be fitted with encased cables to make up the cable stayed section of the bridge More pictures of the site and the 1/3 Completion Event can be seen on Dave's Photo Album page. Another key feature of the project is the inclusion of RapidBus servcie from Langley and Surrey to Lougheed Maill to provide express service to the Skytrain Line. With limited stops, a trip from Langley to the Lougheed Skytrain station is expected to take just 25 minutes. The new RapidBus service will begin the day the new Port Mann Bridge opens. In Surrey Tynehead, there are many parts of the project. Noise abatement barriers are an integral part of the project, providing residential properties reduced sound levels. Environmental protection is also part of the project with earthworks and stream enhancements. Johnson Hill's earthworks will be widened to accomodate the 10 lanes from the bridge and approaches to and from 156th Street. There will be minimal instrusion onto private lands on either side. Much of the widening will remove the existing cut slope to retaining walls. The slopes on either side of Johnson Hill will be cut back to accomodate additional lanes.   New approach west of 156th Street, westbound. Approach to the new bridge. 156th Street's interchange is being reconfigured to provide better direct access to the Port Mann Bridge from Guildford. A key part of the configuration is the building of westbound lanes dedicated for traffic destined to the Tri-Cities (Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody). The earthworks at Johnson Hill will be widened out to accomodate the 10 lane approach to the new Port Mann Bridge. A new 156th Street underpass opened in May 2009 provides quick an easy access to the fast growing Fraser Heights area. The underpass will be expanded shortly to provide HOV access, and a RapidBus stop. It is a key part of better access to Fraser Heights       156th Street underpass looking north to Fraser Heights and 104 Ave. between the spans will be an intersection for HOV access to Highway 1.   160th Street's interchange is being realigned for ease of traffic congestion and access to and from Highway 1 and improving acess to and from Fraser Heights. 176th Street and Highway 1 interchange will be widened and enhanced to provide improved access to Port Kells and Pacific Highway, in addition to providing primary access to the South Fraser Perimeter Road. The South Fraser Perimeter Road - now starting construction - will provide access to the Fraser Surrey Docks, Delta's Tilbury Island industrial area, and provide an excellent route for Coquitlam, North Fraser and north Surrey residents along with commerical traffic to Highway 99 and the Tsawwassen Ferry. 192nd Street interchange now completed provides access to Surrey's Port Kells business and industrial area, in addition to providing access to the Golden Ears Bridge for efficient access to the growing areas of Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge.     Construction Progress To view construction progress on the project, move your mouse over one of the highlighted locations. There are 8 traffic camera (green squares) and four construction camera pages (orange diamonds). The maps can also be used to view current traffic conditiions. Traffic cameras refresh about once every two minutes, construction cameras refresh each hour and have both east and west views from the camera location. Project Information This collection of documents will provide information about the project. Construction updates are provided when available. Construction updates and bulletins are for sections of the project between the Port Mann Bridge and 192nd Street in Surrey. To view updates for the entire project plus bulletins presented in 2009, click [ here ]   Project Fact Sheet Community Update Environmental Update     Project Update Fraser Heights Discussion Guide (outlines 152nd Street features) Community Update July 2010 (New) Highway 1 - Port Mann Bridge      Bridge Construction begins In-River Construction Construction Update (August 2009)     Construction Update (December 2009)   Oversize Loads Crossing (May 2010)   80 km/h Speed Limit ( July 2010 ) Highway 1 - Johnson Hill to 160th Street     Johnson Hill Activity   152nd Street Interchange 160th Street Interchange       156th Overpass Construction     152nd Street Interchange (July 2010) Highway 1 - 160th Street to 192nd Street     Eastbound Weigh Scale Lane Shift Construction ramps at 176th Street Traffic Pattern Change 160h Street For additional information or questions about the Port Mann Bridge / Highway 1 proejct, please contact my office. My friendly and knowledgeable staff will be most happy to assist and receive your inquiries.