Westwood Street Rail Crossing Improvements Project

Through a collaborative planning process that involved the port authority, Transport Canada, TransLink, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Greater Vancouver Gateway Council the rail crossings along Westwood Avenue were identified as priorities to be upgraded. In 2018, the port authority received funding from Transport Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund to complete preliminary design work.

The project includes:

• Studies and preliminary work for a possible Westwood Street underpass to pass underneath the rail line
• Studies and preliminary work on options for a possible Kingsway Avenue underpass or overpass to cross the rail line

The port authority is now focusing on working with Indigenous groups, municipalities and other stakeholders to undertake technical studies and community engagement, advance project design, complete project definition, and secure funding for detailed design and construction of the project.

Project benefits

The port authority has a positive track record of delivering high-quality projects based on best practices in sustainability, environmental protection, and engagement. Anticipated benefits of this project include:

	Improved public safety Reduces risk of collisions between trains and people walking, cycling and driving		Reduced congestion Improves mobility for local residents and more efficient goods movement
	Better emergency response Allows first responders to get to incidents faster and more easily		Reduced GHG emissions Elimination of wait times for vehicles at train crossings means reduced emissions and reduced energy requirements
	More reliable commute times Improves reliability of roads because they will not be blocked by rail traffic		Increased job opportunities  Growth in trade means growth in local jobs
	Reduced whistling Separating the crossings allows for reduced whistling requirements by trains.		Accommodating trade growth Increasing capacity to move Canadian products to foreign markets, and foreign products to Canadian consumers, safely and more efficiently

The port authority will also work with the local community and Indigenous groups to identify opportunities for:

Public space improvements Create public space improvements such as inclusion of Indigenous cultural recognition, public art, and integration of native species in landscaping plans

Improved connections for walking and cycling Enhance walking and cycling facilities associated with the crossings

Timeline

The below timeline shows historical events as well as the project’s anticipated timeline. Dates subject to change.

• 2017 – Project submitted to the National Trade Corridors Fund for funding
• 2018 – The government of Canada grants funding to study and do early design for the crossings through the National Trade Corridors Fund
• Summer 2020 – First phase of public engagement
• 2020/2021 – Pending results of early study and design, the port authority will pursue additional funding to construct the project

Project partner roles

Successfully delivering this project will require strong collaboration with the City of Port Coquitlam, City of Coquitlam, local Indigenous groups and CP. We will be working closely with these organizations to ensure the project addresses their particular needs.

 

Public engagement Project documents

 

Funding Partners

The early design and study portion of this project received funding from the Government of Canada’s through the National Trade Corridors Fund, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, and CP.

Part of Greater Vancouver Gateway 2030