Surrey breaks ground on 64 Avenue road widening project; also approves contract for 32 Avenue improvements

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, BC Hydro Executive Vice President of Operations Charlotte Mitha and Shweta Khade, Program Manager of Program and Contract Management for BC Hydro. Photo: City of Surrey

THE City of Surrey on Tuesday celebrated construction beginning on a road expansion project along 64 Avenue with a groundbreaking ceremony. The busy corridor is being widened from two to four lanes between 177B and 184 streets.

Pedestrian and cycling infrastructure is also being upgraded, and traffic signals will be added at 180 Street, 181A Street, and Claytonwood Gate intersections to improve road safety and neighbourhood access. This is the final phase of road widening along 64 Avenue between 176 and 196 Streets to support sustainable travel options and community growth. 

“By widening 64 Avenue from two to four lanes, we will improve traffic movement and make it safer for our residents to walk and cycle in Cloverdale,” said Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke. “With Surrey’s population projected to reach one million people as early as 2042, continued investment in transportation is essential to support the increasing demand for efficient and reliable travel options. The 64 Avenue project is another example of the $100M Council is investing in upgrading or building new transportation infrastructure in Surrey.” 

Funding for this $15.7 million contract is available in the approved 2024 Transportation and Utilities Budget, and TransLink contributed $8.5 million to the project. 

“This project will help alleviate congestion in Cloverdale while making walking and cycling more convenient for Surrey residents,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn. “Last year alone, TransLink proudly invested over $13 million into 12 local Surrey projects like this one that will help to ensure transportation infrastructure expands and improves in a rapidly growing city.” 

The road improvements project will also install BC Hydro duct banks planned for the same segment of 64 Avenue to minimize disruptions and reduce overall costs to the public. BC Hydro’s duct bank project will support growth in the Cloverdale community and service the new Surrey hospital and BC Cancer Centre. BC Hydro will fully fund the installation of the ducts under the contract. 

“We are working closely with municipalities to build the infrastructure needed to connect new developments to the electricity grid,” says Chris O’Riley, President and CEO of BC Hydro. “We collaborated with the City of Surrey on this project to create a cost efficient way to complete this work with fewer disruptions to the public. As we move forward on our 10-Year Capital Plan, which includes more than $5 billion to support new customer connections, particularly in high-growth areas like Surrey, we look forward to working with municipal governments to get these important projects completed faster.” 

Construction is expected to be completed by Spring 2025. A four-week road closure may be required during Summer 2024. Click here to learn more about improvements to 64 Avenue. 

At Monday’s Council meeting, Surrey City Council also approved a $7.8M contract for 32 Avenue Improvements from 184 to 188 streets. This contract represents the first phase of a multi-phased program for improved transportation and goods movement in Campbell Heights, providing multimodal infrastructure on 32 Avenue from Highway 15 to 196 Street. 

Learn about the City of Surrey’s 2024 Capital Construction Program at surrey.ca/construction.