British Columbia ports and transportation routes set to expand

On April 2 the B.C. government launched a new transportation strategy to further increase the province’s trade with Asia.

The Pacific Gateway Transportation Strategy 2012-2020 aims to expand port and transportation routes to build on exports of resources such as coal , potash and forest products. Consulting engineering companies should benefit with new work from all the promised construction activity.

Premier Christy Clark said: “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take advantage of the fastest growing economy in history. Asia is right at our doorstep – our ports are closer than anywhere else in North America. Our government is making sure we can get our goods to market as efficiently and quickly as possible and this strategy is a huge part of that plan.”

Since 2005, the Pacific Gateway Transportation Strategy has resulted in over $22 billion in transportation upgrades. Of that amount, about $12 billion worth of construction has been completed, and $10 billion is underway.

Currently under way, for example, is the Port Mann/Highway 1 Improvement project, which is the largest transportation project in B.C. history. It includes replacing the Port Mann bridge and widening a 35-kilometre stretch of highway from Langley to Vancouver. Peter Kiewit and Flatiron Constructors are the joint venture design-build contractors for the project.

Future plans under the Pacific Gateway Transportation Strategy amount to $25 billion and include:

$700 million to increase capacity on key provincial highways to support trade;

2.8 billion investments by CN and Canadian Pacific on rail main lines;

$18 billion for private sector pipeline and plants in the liquefied natural gas sector;

$1.1 billion for expanded coal terminals in Vancouver and Prince Rupert;

$3.8 billion to expand capacity at B.C.’s port container terminals, including $50 million already committed to the Deltaport terminal, road and rail improvement project.