Work is expected to begin later this year on the Holdom Overpass Project, a new four-lane overpass that would cross the rail lines at Holdom Avenue in Burnaby, British Columbia, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority announced July 9.
The port authority is teaming up with the city of Burnaby and the Government of Canada on the project, which would enhance rail capacity at Port of Vancouver terminals.
The rail corridor is a significant trade artery for Canada, which accounted for more than 40% of the port’s global exports in 2023 with more than 40 million metric tons of export goods, according to the port authority.
The overpass project, which aims to extend Holdom Avenue south over the rail corridor and Still Creek and link it with Douglas Road, also seeks to curb the growing impact of rail trade on Burnaby by improving traffic and safety issues and reducing the environmental effects, the port authority said.
“The new overpass will create critical capacity and resiliency in the gateway, ensuring that we can enable Canada’s trade more reliably and efficiently, while also delivering tremendous benefits to the local community in Burnaby,” Port Authority President and CEO Peter Xotta said.
The project is expected to enhance the rail improvements done by CN railroad in 2022, which involved updating Thornton Tunnel to lower the time between trains moving through the tunnel and a new rail siding track moving from Willingdon Avenue to Piper Avenue.
“This vital piece of infrastructure will improve safety and accessibility to the citizens of Burnaby, as well as increase efficiency for the port’s operations including greater rail capacity to and from port terminals in North Vancouver,” CN President and CEO Tracy Robinson said. “This project demonstrates our commitment to moving the economy with safer, more efficient transportation solutions.”
