Abstract Manager

The BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit is upgrading Highway 1 between Langley and Chilliwack via the Fraser Valley Highway 1 Corridor Improvement Program. This program aims to enhance mobility, safety, and connectivity along Highway 1. As part of Phase 3A, the existing full cloverleaf interchange at Highway 13/264th Street will be replaced with a new Diverging Diamond Interchange (DD) to improve international trade and travel via the nearby U.S. border crossing at Highway 13, and to improve access to adjacent industrial areas. The project is being delivered through a Design-Build procurement model, and the DDI will be the first of its kind in British Columbia.

This presentation covers the construction staging and traffic management strategies on how all road users were accommodated throughout the work zone. During Restricted Periods (typically during the daytime), existing road capacities, turning movements, and storage lengths were maintained. Detours, lane closures, and stoppages were confined to Non-Restricted Periods to minimize disruption. 

This segment of Highway 1 is a critical link in the national highway system, currently serving over 83,000 vehicles per day. It experiences frequent delays, and collision rates nearly four times higher than comparable corridors. The project considered these challenges and implemented detours that should enhance highway safety reliability during construction. From the pre-existing median separated highway configuration, westbound Highway 1 traffic was rerouted to run adjacent to eastbound lanes via two crossovers constructed at each end of the project limits. Wider shoulders were provided to ensure traffic disruption is minimized should there be traffic enforcement or maintenance needs. 

Major staging strategies were implemented on Highway 13 and adjacent roadways to maximize constructability while minimizing traffic impacts. These strategies included the closure of all existing loop ramps and implementation of temporary detour ramps. Upon completion of the new structures, traffic on 264th Street will be shifted to one of the new structures so that the underpass structure can be demolished. Multiple staging iterations were developed to optimize permanent pavement use and to minimize temporary works. Signal timing adjustments and infrastructure upgrades further enhanced traffic flow and safety during construction. Additional strategies are also being developed to permit the phased opening of the DDI, which is a different interchange configuration than a traditional interchange design. 

This presentation will provide insights into the innovative approaches used to maintain mobility, safety, and efficiency during the complex reconstruction of a vital transportation corridor.