As more cars hit the road this fall while British Columbia continues its COVID-19 phased safe reopening, North Shore drivers will notice the significant progress of the Lower Lynn Interchange Project.
Fixing these interchanges was the number one reason why I ran for MLA in 2009.
The project, first approved under our previous government in 2015 and fully funded in 2016, will cover the much-needed safety improvements to reduce collisions and for other modes of transportation such as cycling and walking. Critically, it is designed to get the North Shore moving again at peak travel times.
Local businesses all reported traffic as a major concern and residents just want to be able to travel east to west without being hampered by bridge traffic.
The four-phase $198M project is designed to replace the interchanges first built over 50 years ago and to meet the demand and growing needs of the North Shore in the years to come.
Working closely with the District of North Vancouver and the Federal government, it was our previous B.C. Liberal government that helped secure the necessary funding to transform the interchanges we are seeing today.
Commuters are now able to use the completed Phase 1 Mountain Highway Interchange and the final tie-in work at the north intersection will be finished this month.
With over 120,000 workers, families and residents travelling through the North Shore daily, many will be happy to see the progress on this project, which is arguably one of the most complex highway undertakings currently underway in the province.
There is still more to come as evidenced by the continued construction at the foot of The Cut. The Phase 2 Keith Rd/Mount Seymour Parkway Interchange & Phase 4 Lynn Creek Connectivity Improvements are being delivered together to expedite the schedule to be completed in October 2021.
Drivers will also start to see Phase 3 construction begin this fall on the new Main St Overpass, complete with adaptive signalling for eastbound on-ramps onto the Ironworkers Bridge and upgrades to active transportation trails.
Year after year when I speak with constituents and local businesses, there is no more pressing issue for everyone on the North Shore than traffic. I am proud to have worked with all levels of government for many years to bring this four-phase, three interchange project to fruition, and along with all residents on the North Shore, look forward to its completion
For more detailed information on what is to come, please contact my office at jane.thornthwaite.mla@leg.bc.ca or 604-983-9852
Jane Thornthwaite is MLA for North Vancouver-Seymour.
Tracy S says
Sadly this sort of scheme is misguided. Creating more space for traffic just ends up creating more traffic. There are plenty of academic studies that prove this point. Sadly in these times where the effects of global warming are becoming obvious, new road schemes are the last thing we need (even if that’s what people think they want). We really need schemes which help us to fulfill happy lives without having to travel as much and being able to access facilities closer to where we live. Then we might be able to start tackling the climate change problem.
Paul says
LT agree of course. But 1000s of idling cars every day needs a more immediate solution and this is it.
Ralph says
I totally agree that traffic will again back up even after this massive project is done. Lots of former Liberal government back-patting here. We needed a Skytrain along the base of the North Shore connecting to Burnaby.
Jim Caruth says
Thank you for development of this much needed infrastructure. As we progress to EV’s it is clear that personal transportation is not going away. A blend of improvement of existing roads coupled with development of additional mass transit is the kind of balanced approach needed and this intersection is but one small piece. The “roads are bad” stance is such “blindered” thinking. Again – thanks for spending some money on road development.