GATEWAY PROGRAM KEY PROJECTS

Significant economic and population growth and changing regional travel patterns have placed considerable strain on the reliability and safety of British Columbia’s biggest trade routes. The Gateway Program aims to improve the movement of people, goods and transit across the Lower Mainland. The Gateway Program definition report provides a thorough investigation of current transportation conditions in Greater Vancouver, clearly defining the challenges and proposing needed solutions.

There are three Gateway Program projects:

North Fraser Perimeter Road (NFPR):

A series of upgraded roads and bridges forming a continuous route across the Pitt River and along the north side of the Fraser River from Maple Ridge to New Westminster. The provincial component of the NFPR includes a new seven-lane high level bridge across the Pitt River, replacing the two existing swing bridges and a new interchange at the Lougheed Highway and the Mary Hill Bypass. The design includes bike lanes across the bridge, and the bridge will be engineered to accept mass transit at a later date.

The project began its environmental assessment in August 2005 and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency will issue a project screening report this year.
The federal Pacific Gateway Strategy has committed up to $90 million for the construction of the Pitt River Bridge/Mary Hill Interchange.

South Fraser Perimeter Road (SFPR):

The SFPR is a new four-lane, 80 km/h route along the south side of the Fraser River extending from Deltaport Way in southwest Delta to the Golden Ears Bridge and Highway 1 on the Surrey/Langley border. The SFPR will provide a needed, continuous and efficient route to serve the important freight and service industry along this key economic corridor.

The project is currently in the pre-application phase of its environmental assessment.
The federal Pacific Gateway Strategy has committed up to $2 million for the environmental assessment of the SFPR.

Port Mann/Highway 1 (PMH1):

The project includes widening Highway 1 to four lanes in either direction from Vancouver to Langley, upgrading interchanges, improving access and safety, twinning the Port Mann Bridge and extending HOV lanes to Langley. The pre-design concept proposes bike lanes on all new bridges; congestion reductions allowing TransLink to re-introduce transit over the Port Mann Bridge and engineering the new bridge to accommodate future mass transit. Additional congestion-reduction measures include HOV lanes and commercial vehicle priority access to Highway 1. Bridge tolling is considered an option to reduce congestion, limit growth in traffic demand and generate revenue to fund the improvements.

Pre-design consultations on the project will commence in February and the project will enter the pre-application of its environmental assessment later this year.
The PMH1 project is eligible for federal Pacific Gateway Strategy funding; however, no funding commitment to project has yet been announced.

More information on the Gateway Program, downloadable copies of the program definition report, a schedule of public consultations, artist renderings, graphics and maps are available online at www.gatewayprogram.bc.ca.

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Media contact:	Mike Morton Press Secretary Office of the Premier 250 213-8218	Mike Long Communications Director Ministry of Transportation 250 387-7787

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