City crews will be busy on Vancouver streets this spring. Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians may want to rethink their regular routes based on some of the projects, including a water main replacement on Fraser Street, four kilometres of sewer upgrade and sewer separation projects, and upgrades to 14 kilometres of sidewalks, streets and lanes.
Water main upgrades:
Each year, the City of Vancouver replaces up to seven kilometres of water mains throughout Vancouver to provide homes and businesses with treated drinking water from the Seymour Water Treatment Facility operated by Metro Vancouver. In addition to smaller water main upgrades, this spring the city is working on a large replacement on Fraser Street from King Edward to 33 Avenue. The work is being coordinated with sewer and street improvements.
More details here.
Sewer main upgrades and separation
There are 2,117 kilometres of sewer main across Vancouver. The city is replacing combined sewer systems with separated systems as part of its 2050 sewer separation target. More than 50 per cent of the work is now complete.
This year, a minimum of four kilometres of combined sewer separation is planned. Separated systems take waste water from homes to the treatment plants, while runoff water from the streets is redirected to natural waterways. Benefits of a separated sewer system include:
- eliminating combined sewer overflow
- preventing flooding by increasing capacity
- allowing storm water to be used as a resource.
Large-scale sewer upgrades and separation projects throughout the city this spring include:
- Oakridge Trunk: sewer separation and capacity upgrades coming to completion. Details here.
- Smithe Street (Homer to Beatty): increased sewer capacity to help serve the growing neighbourhood. Details here.
- Fraser Street (King Edward to 33rd): increased capacity and completion of sewer separation along Fraser Street. Details here.
- St. Catherines Trunk: sewer separation to begin early March. Details here.
Streets upgrades
The City of Vancouver expects to upgrade 14 kilometres of sidewalks, streets and lanes throughout the city this year.
Street rehabilitation and safety improvements include:
- 10th Avenue corridor: walking and cycling safety improvements in the Health Precinct. Details here.
- Quebec and 1st Avenue: street rehabilitation following major development in the area.
- South False Creek Seawall: safety and accessibility upgrades expected to be completed this spring. Details here.
- Fraser Street: safety improvements for people walking with a new pedestrian signal at Fraser and East 28th Avenue, and reconfiguration of the intersection to help with safer crossings. The work is being coordinated with sewer separation and water main upgrades. Details here.
- St. Catherines Trunk: safety improvements for people walking along routes to Sir Alexander Mackenzie school, including new curb bulges at three pedestrian crossings. The work is being coordinated with sewer separation and upgrades. Details here.
More information about road closures can be found at vancouver.ca/roadwork or by using the VanConnect app.
