Abbotsford: Vye Road overpass and widened section of Highway 11 set to open

ABBOTSFORD – November 27, 2023 – The City of Abbotsford is pleased to announce the substantial completion of the Vye Road overpass and Highway 11 widening project, which will be fully open for public use on Friday, December 8, 2023.

This $74.6M project is a partnership between the City of Abbotsford, Government of Canada, and Province of BC, where the City provided $38.2M, the Province provided $27.6M, and the Government of Canada provided $8.3M through the Building Canada Fund and $500K through the Rail Safety Improvement Program.

As part of this project, the NEXUS Lane to the U.S. border was extended 1.3 kilometres to improve the flow of traffic to the border for families and commercial drivers. A two?lane overpass over the Southern Rail and CP Rail lines was constructed on Vye Road to improve safety and reduce congestion at the existing crossing. These changes allow for improved access to local commercial developments between Highway 11 and Riverside Road, and provide an alternate route along the Vye Road/8th Avenue corridor, facilitating better access to both the Aldergrove and Huntington border crossings.

This project was first announced in 2013, followed by public consultation in 2014, and construction in 2020. In 2021, construction was temporarily halted due to archaeological findings on site that had to be addressed with care and registered with the Archaeology Branch within the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. Construction recommenced in January 2022, following the issuance of the required authorizations.

Quotes:

 Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Transport, Government of Canada
“Canada’s economy depends on a well-functioning transportation system. This investment in the Vye Road Overpass and Highway 11 upgrades is another example of the important work Transport Canada is undertaking to improve safety at grade crossings and along rail lines, to make sure our supply chains are resilient, fluid and reliable.”

 Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Province of BC

“These upgrades to Highway 11 and Vye Road improve access to one of B.C.’s busiest border crossings and support international trade and our commercial trucking industry. The improvements also address local road and rail conflicts and provide improved access to some of Abbotsford’s larger commercial operations.”

Ross Siemens, Mayor, City of Abbotsford

“As the cultural and economic Hub of the Fraser Valley, the City of Abbotsford has seen significant population growth over the past decade and the upgrades of the Vye Road overpass and the widening of Highway 11 will help address congestion and increase safety for those travelling through this area. These upgrades provide community connectivity and support cross?border travel and trade, while improving safety and travel times along this important road and rail corridor. It is vitally important for our economy, that we have an efficient flow of goods and services throughout our city.”