Burnaby Lake Overpass

The project team is now developing detailed designs and construction is anticipated to begin in fall 2023. The project’s expected to take approximately 3 years to complete.

The pedestrian-cyclist overpass will provide a safe and comfortable crossing for residents and visitors to popular destinations in Burnaby. The overpass will remove the barrier currently created by Highway 1 and will connect the recreational and cultural facilities on both sides of the highway.

As a key part of the Priority Cycling Network, the new pedestrian-cyclist overpass will provide a seamless north-south link across Highway 1 to improve connectivity for the local community and across the regional cycling network. The new overpass aligns with the 3 key targets outlined in Connecting Burnaby: Burnaby’s Transportation Plan, adopted by Council in 2021: 

• vision zero - reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 100%
• mode split - have three-quarters of all trips made by public transit and active transportation 
• zero emissions - reduce vehicle emissions by 100%

The pedestrian-cyclist overpass is also aligned with the City’s Climate Action Framework, which supports initiatives to increase opportunities to walk, cycle and roll, and shift away from vehicle travel.

The southern landing will be located within the existing park space near the intersection of Claude Ave and McCarthy Court, while the northern landing will be located next to Glencarin Drive.

In 2019, we initiated the first phase of this project, assessing proposed overpass locations with engineering, architectural, environmental, geotechnical and archaeological reviews, followed by completion of preliminary schematic designs at 4 locations. The current location between Glencarin Drive and Claude Ave was selected by City Council in November 2022 after receiving input from Burnaby residents during public engagement conducted in person and online in spring 2022. This also took into consideration the technical analyses.

Options were developed after a review of viable locations based on availability of public right-of-way and potential for connection to existing roads and trails. City Council selected Option 1 in November 2022 following extensive analyses and public engagement in spring 2022.

Yes. In advance of construction starting, we’ll send impacted residents notices of construction advising them about timing and how the construction may impact them. We’ll make every effort to minimize the disruption and inconvenience caused by any work. Project updates will also be posted on this webpage. 

If any restrictions to traffic, pedestrian access or road closures are needed, we’ll communicate these in advance. Changes to traffic operations will be completed after completion of a Traffic Management Plan and review by City staff.

We’ll work with the project’s contractor to mitigate noise impacts during construction. Measures to reduce noise impacts include restricting construction activities outside of working hours, identifying alternative approaches for high-noise work and actively monitoring noise and vibration throughout the construction period.

We understand there may be some concerns related to parking in the area. To help us better understand these concerns and identify solutions, we conducted parking and traffic studies for the Rayside neighbourhood in May 2022. The study confirmed that parking occupancy in the area is limited during peak periods. However, the pedestrian overpass is not anticipated to lead to significant parking demand, but we’ll continue to monitor its impact post-construction.

The overpass is designed to accommodate a potential expansion to Highway 1.

The City’s long-term plans envision a second crossing of Highway 1 in the future, providing an eastern complement to the proposed Claude Ave structure and creating an evenly spaced grid in Burnaby’s active transportation network.

The project team has paid close attention to the environmental impacts of the new overpass and it’s been carefully designed to minimize impacts to natural habitat, watercourses and local species. All work will proceed in compliance with applicable municipal, provincial and federal regulations.

There is a need to remove some trees beginning mid-September 2023 to make way for the new infrastructure. As a City, we place a high value on trees and have undertaken an extensive review with our forestry department. As part of this project, we are committed to planting 69 new trees to replace the 43 trees that will be removed as per the City’s tree bylaw. We will always make an effort to replant replacement trees on public property close to the original location. When this is not feasible, we strive to plant as near to the area as possible.

The new pedestrian-cyclist overpass will help establish new, safe routes in our community. As we begin work on it, we’ll take the opportunity to make safety improvements to the nearby trails, including on Sperling Ave, Glencarin Drive and the Freeway Trail north of Highway 1, as well as Sperling Ave, Gilpin Street and the Midtown Bikeway south of Highway 1.

We applied best safety practices during the design of this transportation infrastructure, including the use of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles. This included careful consideration of lighting, sightlines and other factors to create an open, safe and welcoming space:

• Nighttime lighting will highlight the structure and create a safe and efficient route for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Lighting under the handrails will safely illuminate the path while avoiding light spillover for drivers on the highway.
• Other elements of the structure were designed with safety in mind, such as a glass barrier to block noise from the highway and secure cable netting

The new overpass will take advantage of the existing raised terrain on both sides of Highway 1 to minimize the need for approach ramp structures. All trails and ramps constructed as part of this project are designed with accessible grades in accordance with the BC Active Transportation Design Guide.

The new pedestrian-cyclist overpass will help build the culture of cycling and active transportation in Burnaby and allow everyone safe and easy access to explore new areas by cycling, rolling or on foot.

This project will help bridge existing gaps in the City’s active transportation network as well as support multiple regional initiatives and strengthen the broader regional active transportation network. This includes improving connectivity with the Central Valley Greenway, part of Metro Vancouver’s Regional Greenway system, and Translink’s Major Bikeway Network including the BC Parkway.

The new pedestrian-cyclist overpass will also help connect the trail networks of 3 major parks—Burnaby Lake Park, Deer Lake Park and Robert Burnaby Park—and key cultural and recreational destinations in Burnaby.

Updates will be shared on this page as they become available. If you have questions, fill out the Ask a Question form below or email [email protected]. You can also sign up to receive project updates here using the Follow button.