WORK will begin this month on a new commercial truck parking facility in North Surrey, providing another safe, convenient place in the Lower Mainland for commercial truck drivers to pull over and rest.

“Investing in highway and road infrastructure is critical to keeping Canadians safe while on the move for work, travel or other daily needs,” said Ken Hardie, MP for Fleetwood-Port Kells, on behalf of Catherine McKenna, federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. “New parking will ensure truck drivers in the North Surrey area have a secure place to rest while transporting goods and materials for businesses and in support of the economy. Canada’s Infrastructure Plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country and builds stronger communities.”

The new truck parking facility is being built on provincial land on the north side of Highway 17, below and just east of the Port Mann Bridge. When completed, the facility will have room for about 100 trucks. It will include washrooms, fencing, lighting and other security measures.

“This facility will help alleviate the shortage of commercial vehicle staging and parking in the Lower Mainland,” said Claire Trevena, B.C.’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “The North Surrey Truck Parking Facility will support the commercial transport industry by providing operators with a safe, convenient location to stop, take a break and turn off their engines.”

A $4.97-million contract for the first phase of work has been awarded to Jacob Bros. Construction. This includes construction of a signalized intersection along Highway 17 to provide safe access to the new facility, as well as site excavation and preparation work.

“The addition of safe, convenient commercial truck parking on the Lower Mainland is something our association fully supports,” said Dave Earle, President and CEO, BC Trucking Association. “It’s often difficult to find suitable parking for large transport trucks. Facilities like this make the job a bit easier for our members, knowing there’s appropriate parking available when it’s time to take a break.”

Work on the first phase will get underway in the coming weeks. The actual parking facility and amenities will be built in Phase 2 of the project, which will be tendered in 2021.

Provincial construction sites have protocols and policies in place following the requirements of the provincial health officer to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. These include reducing in-person meetings or gatherings, holding meetings outdoors and ensuring physical distancing of workers throughout the workday. These measures, along with other work protocols, such as daily cleaning and sanitizing of common areas and surfaces, will help ensure worker and public safety.

Construction of the new intersection that will provide access to the truck parking facility may result in some delays for drivers on Highway 17. Obey the construction zone speed limit and check DriveBC for any delays.

The North Surrey Truck Parking Facility is a $30-million project. The Government of Canada is contributing $13 million, with the remaining $17 million funded by the Province. The federal contribution is part of the larger $108.9-million Trans-Canada Highway 1 high-occupancy vehicle lane extension project under the New Building Canada Fund’s Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component-National and Regional Projects.