The project includes:
- A separate crossing at the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) main rail crossing at Harris Road
- A new two-lane overpass on Kennedy Road over the main rail line entrance to CPKC’s Vancouver Intermodal Facility—Paused
CPKC is leading the following rail components:
- A new siding track along side the existing tracks between Harris Road and Kennedy Road
- An extension of the existing lead track accessing the Vancouver Intermodal Facility east across Harris Road towards Golden Ears Way
Contact:
PittMeadowsRoadAndRail@portvancouver.com
604.665.9004
About the project
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is leading the Pitt Meadows Road and Rail Improvement project that proposes to eliminate the rail crossings at Harris Road and Kennedy Road. Pitt Meadows is home to two of the busiest rail crossings in the lower mainland.
The port authority wants to reduce bottlenecks in the Lower Mainland – not only for cargo carriers, but for local communities as well.
Harris Road underpass
The Pitt Meadows Road and Rail Improvements Project would separate road and rail traffic at Harris Road. This will make local commutes faster and safer, improve community connections through more reliable traffic flow and improve emergency response times.
With project costs currently more than triple the original estimate, additional funding must be secured for the Harris Road project to proceed to further design and construction. The port authority continues to believe the project brings significant benefits to the community of Pitt Meadows and is hopeful the Harris Road crossing – identified in the top 500 highest risk railway crossings in Canada – can be delivered in the future. We continue to support advocacy efforts to pursue additional funding and are committed to exploring how we can support the project delivery in the future.
Project benefits
The port authority has a positive track record of delivering high-quality projects based on best practices in sustainability, environmental protection, and engagement.
by reducing the risk of collisions between trains and people walking, cycling, and driving
by improving mobility for local residents
for police, firefighters, and ambulance to get to incidents faster and more easily
by eliminating vehicle wait times at train crossings
by removing rail crossing delays
through Canada's growing trade needs
by increasing capacity to move Canadian products to foreign markets, and foreign products to Canadian consumers safely and more efficiently
by adding Indigenous cultural recognition, public art, and native species in landscaping plans
Enhance walking and cycling facilities associated with the crossings
Public engagement
The Pitt Meadows Road and Rail Improvements Project enables the City of Pitt Meadows and residents to play a role in shaping the future of their community.
Our approach to public consultation is based on two-way communication and open dialogue, working together to ensure the community, the environment, and the economy are all considered during project planning.
The port authority has worked closely with the City of Pitt Meadows and CPKC to progress the planning and design of the project. Thank you to everyone who has participated in engagement to date.
Touchpoints with the community include:
- Fall 2019 engagement – Listen and learn
- Summer 2020 engagement – Kennedy Road overpass
- Spring 2021 update – CPKC rail configuration and noise and vibration study
- Fall 2021 update – New alignment of the Harris Road underpass, heritage building relocations, ongoing work on noise and vibration mitigation, and opinion research
- Summer 2022 engagement – Harris Road underpass
- Spring 2023 update – Funding gap presentation and request for funding contribution
- Spring 2023 – CPKC issued notice of railway works
Funding partners
This project is funded by the Government of Canada through the National Trade Corridors Fund, the port authority, and CP.
Part of Greater Vancouver Gateway 2030.
Project partners
Successfully delivering this project will require strong collaboration with the City of Pitt Meadows, local First Nations, and CPKC, and we will be working closely with them to ensure the project addresses their particular needs.
This project has three partners:
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
The port authority is collaborating with the City of Pitt Meadows, CPKC, and First Nations. The port authority is partially funding the project and to date has undertaken technical studies, led community engagement, and collaborated on project design.
CPKC
CPKC owns and operates the Vancouver Intermodal Facility located in Pitt Meadows. CPKC is partially funding the project and is leading the extension of the existing track leading to and through the Vancouver Intermodal Facility.
This project does not include CPKC’s proposed Logistics Park: Vancouver, proposed for south of the Vancouver Intermodal Facility. The port authority is not responsible for communications surrounding the logistics park as it is not part of the Pitt Meadows Road and Rail Improvements Project.
City of Pitt Meadows
The City of Pitt Meadows has been working closely with the port authority and CPKC to ensure the project meets the needs of the community – including improved safety, enhanced access and connections, reduced travel times for road users, and better emergency response. They are working with project partners to explore feasible noise and vibration mitigation options, long-term effects on traffic and changes to the character of the community. The City is also working closely with the Pitt Meadows Heritage and Museum Society to find suitable locations for the Hoffmann and Son Machine Shop and the General Store Heritage buildings.