B.C. awards $242-million contract for Highway 11

Key Takeaways:

• B.C. has awarded a $242-million design-build contract for the Highway 11 Interchange Project in Abbotsford, with construction starting in January 2026 and completion expected in 2031.
• The project widens 2.1 kilometres of Highway 1, adds HOV/EV and bus-on-shoulder lanes, replaces the Riverside Road/Rail overpass, and upgrades key intersections to reduce congestion and improve safety.
• It is part of the $2.65-billion Fraser Valley Highway 1 Corridor Improvement Program, aimed at supporting heavy traffic volumes, goods movement, transit, and active transportation in a region seeing more than 80,000 vehicles daily.

The Whole Story:

The B.C. government has awarded a $242-million design-build contract to the Metro Vancouver (Infrastructure) Partnership for the Highway 11 Interchange Project in Abbotsford.

The joint venture, comprising Hall Constructors, Jacob Bros. and EBC Inc., is expected to begin work in January 2026. The project is a component of Phase 3B of the Fraser Valley Highway 1 Corridor Improvement Program, a broader initiative backed by $2.65 billion in provincial funding aimed at facilitating goods movement and improving safety.

The scope of the project includes widening 2.1 kilometres of Highway 1 from McKenzie Road to just east of the Highway 11 interchange. The work will accommodate increased traffic volumes and include the creation of new HOV/EV and bus-on-shoulder lanes. Additionally, the Riverside Road/Rail overpass will be replaced as part of the contract.

“We know people in the Fraser Valley find travel increasingly difficult, given the traffic volume on Highway 1,” said Mike Farnworth, minister of transportation and transit, in a news release. “The upgrades we’re making to Highway 11 will not only reduce bottlenecks but also improve transit and active forms of transportation, making it easier for everyone to reach their destinations.”

The project also includes upgrades to intersections at Highway 11 and Marshall Road, as well as Highway 11 and Delair Road. New truck parking and improved active transportation connections, such as multi-use paths, sidewalks and bike lanes, are planned to increase mobility.

Ross Siemens, mayor of Abbotsford, noted that more than 80,000 vehicles travel through the city daily.

“As the hub of the Fraser Valley and a key link in the North American Asia-Pacific Gateway, being able to move through and around our city is vital,” Siemens said. “The City of Abbotsford is pleased to see the Highway 11 Interchange Project moving forward, strengthening this critical route.”

The province expects the project to be completed in 2031. The remaining two major-works contracts for Phase 3B are expected to be awarded in early 2026.