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Overpass proposed in Burnaby: $145 million investment to support trade growth and improve safety and community access
Planning for a future overpass along Holdom Avenue over the rail line in Burnaby is officially underway, as the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority signed a memorandum of understanding with the City of Burnaby to guide the planning, design, and construction of a proposed Holdom overpass and closure of Douglas Road to vehicles at the rail crossing. This is the first of many steps, and the port authority, in partnership with the City of Burnaby, will undertake public engagement and Indigenous consultation for the project starting in spring 2020.
The Holdom overpass is part of the Burnaby Rail Corridor Improvements Project—a series of improvements identified as a priority for upgrades to improve the flow of trains to and from port terminals in North Vancouver. The port authority, CN, and the Government of Canada (through the National Trade Corridors Fund) are funding the $145 million proposed project. Upon completion, the City of Burnaby will assume ownership of the overpass.
“Our role at the port authority is to make sure the Port of Vancouver can accommodate Canada’s growing trade, so we’re collaborating with government and industry to build infrastructure that will address both bottlenecks in the supply chain and the impacts of trade on local communities, such as commuter congestion,” said Cliff Stewart, vice president of infrastructure at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. “We are grateful to the Government of Canada and CN for their funding to support this project and to the City of Burnaby for their collaboration on this initiative.”
The proposed overpass will extend Holdom Avenue south over the rail tracks to connect to Douglas Road, providing a new north-south connection in a growing town centre. In addition to supporting national trade growth, the creation of the Holdom overpass will help achieve a long-term goal identified in the City of Burnaby’s transportation plans and has many potential benefits for residents in Burnaby, including walking and cycling amenities, more reliable travel times, and improved emergency response options and public safety.
“A new Holdom overpass would help connect our city and provide a more safe and reliable journey for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians,” said Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley. “We are keen to work with the community and the port authority toward development of an overpass that meets both the multi-modal needs of travellers and the diverse requirements of area residents and businesses.”
Subject to final design approval and several conditions outlined in the memorandum of understanding, including public engagement and Indigenous consultation, the port authority, in partnership with the City of Burnaby, will work to ensure the design and construction of the overpass responds to the needs of the region and the local community. The first of three phases of public engagement will take place in spring-2020 and if approved, construction is anticipated to start in 2022.
Information about the project can be found online at www.portvancouver.com/holdomoverpass. Residents and businesses are encouraged to sign up to the email newsletter list to receive updates on the project and hear about opportunities to learn more about the projects and provide feedback.
Media contact:
Danielle Jang
Senior Advisor, Media Relations and Issues Management
[email protected]
604-340-8617
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