FortisBC gas line upgrade will halt summer traffic on large section of East 1st Avenue in Vancouver

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      Businesses along Commercial Drive are preparing for the worst this summer.

      That's because an upgrade to a FortisBC gas line will halt traffic for nearly three months along busy East 1st Avenue betweeen Clark Drive and Nanaimo Street.

      Approximately 30,000 vehicles a day travel this road.

      There will also be parking restrictions on East Hastings Street and Grandview Highway to facilitate the movement of more vehicles along these commuter routes.

      In 2015 FortisBC obtained approval from the B.C. Utilities Commission to replace its 20-inch pipe with a 30-inch pipe from Vancouver to Coquitlam.

      This also means partial lane closures along East 1st Avenue from Nanaimo Street to Boundary Road beginning later this spring.

      There will also be delays on roads in Burnaby and Coquitlam. (See below.)

      “We know there will be congestion, so we appreciate commuters’ patience and encourage them to plan for extra time to reach their destinations,” FortisBC vice president Douglas Stout said in a company news release. “FortisBC will work as safely and quickly as possible to reduce the impact of our construction.”

      The 20-kilometre gas line was built in 1958 and serves 210,000 customers.

      The company expects that the project will be completed in late 2019.

      Below, you can see the effect that this project will have on roads in Vancouver, Burnaby, and Coquitlam.

      ​Vancouver​Cross streets​Status​Dates
      ​East 1st Avenue​Clark Dr. to Nanaimo St.​Full road closure​Mid June to end of August 2018
      ​East 1st Avenue​Nanaimo St. to Boundary Rd.​Ongoing lane closures​Spring to winter 2018

       

      ​Burnaby​Cross streets​Status​Dates
      ​Graveley StBoundary Rd. to Gilmore Ave.​Ongoing lane closures​Spring 2018
      ​Douglas Rd.Gilmore Ave. to Madison Ave.​Ongoing lane closures​Spring 2018
      ​Lougheed Hwy.Madison Ave. to Bainbridge Ave.​Ongoing lane closures​Summer 2018
      ​Broadway​Bainbridge Ave. to Underhill Ave.​Full road closure​Summer 2018
      ​Broadway​Production Way to North Rd.​Ongoing lane closures​Fall 2018
      ​Coquitlam​Cross streets​Status​Dates
      ​Como Lake Ave.​North Rd. to Mariner Way​Ongoing lane closures​2019

       

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