Roberts Bank Rail Corridor Road/Rail Grade Separations

Roberts Bank Rail Corridor Road/Rail Grade Separations

Investment: $75 million

UPDATE:

Improvements to 41B Street have been completed

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The 70-kilometre RBRC connects Roberts Bank terminals with the rest of the North American rail network and is a critical link between Canadian industry and Asia-Pacific economies. The RBRC traverses five Greater Vancouver municipalities and crosses 38 at-grade public roads. These at-grade crossings present challenges such as traffic queuing during rail events, and also serve to limit rail operational efficiency. The goal is to enable increases in volume of international freight from the economic heartland of North America.

Canada is partnering with the Province of British Columbia (Ministry of Transportation), Vancouver Port Authority, TransLink, several municipalities and four railwaycompanies (CN, CP, BNSF, and British Columbia Railway Company) to deliver a total investment in the entire corridor of approximately $307 million.

These projects will enhance rail operations and accommodate anticipated growth in rail and road traffic. Building grade separations provides local quality of life and environmental benefits by reducing:

• traffic congestion during rail operations;
• congestion on key road corridors;
• idling at level crossings and congestion on some parallel facilities;
• emissions and contributions to greenhouse gas; and
• direct exposure of road users and trains, with corresponding safety benefits.

In addition, these investments benefit local communities by:

• enhancing bicycle network connections;
• increasing agricultural productivity through improved vehicle movements; and
• enhancing access to emergency service providers (police, fire, ambulance).

The RBRC road and rail investments consist of nine (9) projects along the rail corridor including:

Location 1: Vicinity of 41B Street
Municipality: Corporation of Delta 
Description:  41B Street is effectively within the Gulf Rail Yard near the head of the Roberts Bank Causeway. At present, it serves approximately 1,000 vehicles per day, as well as agricultural movements. 41B will also provide access to the Tsawwassen First Nation lands. A grade separation in the vicinity of 41B Street would enable the railways to expand the Gulf Rail Yard and eliminate train whistling in this area.

Location 2: 80 Street Overpass
Municipality: Corporation of Delta 
Description:  80 Street is the primary access to the Boundary Bay Airport and its improvement and expansion plans forecast that 2,700 vehicles daily would use the proposed two-lane overpass. Assuming that anti-whistling initiatives will be undertaken at 72 Street and closer to the Roberts Bank Causeway, the 80 Street overpass would eliminate the requirement for whistling for a distance of nearly 13 kilometres between Roberts Bank and 88 Street.

Location 3: 152nd Street 
Municipality: City of Surrey
Description: 152nd Street is a major north-south artery linking the rapidly growing South Surrey / White Rock area with the rest of Surrey. Combined with other initiatives in the area including a grade separation at 168th Street, this project could eliminate train whistling for up to 10-14 kilometres through Surrey.

Location 4: 192nd Street 
Municipality: City of Surrey
Description: 168th Street is expected to become an increasingly important north-south road when the City of Surrey widens 168th Street north of Highway 10 from two to four lanes by 2011.. Along with other initiatives and grade separation at 192nd Street, this project could eliminate train whistling for up to 10-14 kilometres between 184th Street and Highway 91.

Location 5: 168th Street Alternative / Whistle Cessation project 
Municipality: City of Surrey
Description: The grade separation at this location complements the grade separations at 54th Avenue and 196th Street. This combination of projects is expected to provide substantial traffic relief not only to 192nd Street but also to nearby roads such as Fraser Highway and 200th Street.

Location 6: 54th Avenue 
Municipality: City of Surrey and City of Langley
Description: A grade separation at 54th Avenue would provide an east-west connection between the 192nd Street and 196th Street grade separations. Together with other crossings, a 54th Avenue grade separation is expected to provide substantial traffic relief in the east Surrey / west Langley area. Alternative connections between 192nd and 196th streets will be the subject of a local sub-area traffic study.

Location 7: 196th Street 
Municipality: City of Surrey, City of Langley and Township of Langley
Description: For the most part, a road does not exist on the 196th Street alignment. A grade separation on the 196th alignment would add substantial new road capacity in this congested area, as well as provide traffic relief during rail operations.

Location 8: Mufford Crescent / 64th Avenue 
Municipality: Township of Langley
Description: The Mufford Crescent / 64th Avenue project includes the closure of the existing Mufford Crescent and re-alignment along the 62nd / 64th Avenue corridors. A grade separation would cross the RBRC and Glover Road, and extend to 216th Street. This road re-alignment and grade separation is expected to provide substantial traffic relief on Mufford Crescent and the Langley Bypass.

Location 9: 232nd Street 
Municipality:Township of Langley
Description: 232nd Street connects communities north of Highway 1 including the eastern section of Walnut Grove and Fort Langley. Road traffic is expected to remain constant at around 5,500 vehicles per day. The grade separation would primarily accommodate the Rawlison rail siding extension, which would be undertaken by the railways. The grade separation would eliminate the requirement for train whistling through the rural area between Glover Road and River Road, a distance of nearly five kilometres.

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