Highway 1 Drivers Losing Patience as Fraser Valley Widening Drags Into 2030s

For drivers inching through traffic on Highway 1, patience is wearing thin.

“It’s always backed up — doesn’t matter if there’s an accident or not,” said Danielle Burbidge, one of thousands of Fraser Valley commuters enduring daily congestion. “I think we need to be thinking more into the future than just one extra lane.”

The province’s $5-billion Highway 1 expansion aims to widen the Trans-Canada from 216 Street in Langley through Abbotsford to Chilliwack — nearly 50 kilometres of highway that has long been a bottleneck for the region’s growing population.

Work on the first phase, between 216 and 264 streets, is expected to finish in 2026. The next stretch, from 264 Street to Mt. Lehman Road, is projected to be done by 2029, adding high-occupancy and electric-vehicle lanes in both directions.

But full completion isn’t expected until 2031 — and the final phase, across the flood-prone Sumas Prairie to Chilliwack, has no confirmed start date.

“A really bad experience”

For some, that timeline is hard to swallow. “Right now, it’s just construction after construction,” said rideshare driver Droun Handa. “People are constantly worried about missing flights or appointments.”

Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth said in a written statement that the province understands residents’ frustration. “The improvements will add capacity for transit and active transportation, making it easier and quicker for people to get where they need to go,” he said.

Upcoming projects include the Peardonville Road underpass, improvements to McCallum Road, Clearbrook Road, and Highway 11 interchanges, plus a rebuild of the CPKC railway overpass in Langley — notorious for truck collisions that have caused massive traffic jams.

Delays vs. demand

Metro Vancouver’s population growth has spilled east into the Fraser Valley, turning Highway 1 into a commuter choke point that businesses say is stifling the region’s economy.

“We only have to look back to the 2021 floods,” said Alex Mitchell, CEO of the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce. “Highway 1 was shut down for days, cutting off farmers and freight. The stretch through Sumas Prairie is vital, and we need to see a clear plan for it.”

The Ministry of Transportation says it’s working with First Nations and other levels of government to integrate future highway upgrades with a regional flood-mitigation strategy, but offered no specific timeline.

Until then, Fraser Valley drivers can expect years more of orange cones and brake lights. “The bottleneck in Abbotsford is incredible,” said longtime driver Ron Block. “I’ve been on this road for decades — and it’s never been this bad.”