A new seventh lane on the Alex Fraser Bridge will act as counterflow during rush hour to ease congestion on the busy connector between Delta and New Westminster, B.C.

“This project will help cut congestion on the Alex Fraser Bridge, which is important for commuters, for local businesses and for our trucking industry. Projects like this create high-paying, family-supporting jobs,” said B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone.

A seventh lane will be added to the bridge by slightly narrowing the six existing lanes and removing the shoulders. A moveable barrier, similar to that on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, will be added to allow four lanes of traffic northbound during the morning rush hour. It would then be repositioned to allow four lanes southbound for the afternoon rush hour where it will remain for the rest of the day.

This project also includes adding 13 electronic signs placed at key decision points on highways throughout the Lower Mainland. These signs will give commuters real-time information about crossing delays for four Fraser River crossings, including the Alex Fraser Bridge, to allow drivers to make timely decisions about which route to travel.

The $70 million project is being jointly funded with almost $34 million from the federal government under the New Building Canada Fund and $36 million will come from the province.

Once completed in spring 2018, commuters and other highway users can expect to save about 12 to 16 minutes during the afternoon rush hour and about six minutes during the morning rush hour. More than 130 jobs are expected to be created over the life of the project.

Last June, the B.C. government unveiled a multi-step plan to help unclog congestion on the Alex Fraser Bridge and Highway 91 – starting with a new interchange at Highway 91 and 72nd, which will eliminate the final traffic signal on Highway 91 leading up to the bridge. Construction is under way on the $30 million interchange.