Westbound drivers on Steveston Highway will begin using the new structure Thursday morning.
Thursday morning’s commute between Richmond and Vancouver may be less bumper-to-bumper as part of the new five-lane Steveston Interchange opens.
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The first half of the new crossing is now complete, the Ministry of Transportation announced Wednesday. That means westbound drivers on Steveston Highway can begin using the new structure Thursday morning.
When complete, the Steveston Interchange will improve connections between Highway 99 and Steveston Highway to reduce queuing for vehicles in all directions, while improving regional transit and cycling connections, said Kelly Greene, MLA for Richmond-Steveston.
Greene said the traffic changeover will begin with westbound Steveston Highway traffic routed to the new structure overnight Wednesday.
B.C.’s Transportation Ministry is asking drivers to obey construction-zone speed limits, and pay attention to all signage and the direction of traffic-control personnel.
The removal of the old Steveston Highway crossing will take three weekends to complete and will require lane diversions on Highway 99 and periodic lane closures on Steveston Highway to allow for safe removal of the structure, the ministry added.
During this work, drivers can expect delays and should plan alternative routes. Once the old crossing is removed, work will begin on the second half of the new interchange, the ministry said.
The interchange is scheduled to be finished in the fall. It replaces the two-lane overpass at Steveston Highway and Highway 99 with two eastbound and three westbound lanes, including a left-turn lane. It will have sidewalks and a dedicated bike lane on both sides.
It’s part of a larger project to replace the aging George Massey Tunnel with an eight-lane tunnel below the Fraser River between Richmond and Delta. That’s due for completion in 2030.
With files from Joseph Ruttle