FAQs

How will the PMH1 Project affect my commute?

A key goal of the project is to minimize disruption and maximize predictability during construction. Our primary focus will be to keep traffic on Highway 1 moving safely and efficiently.

No lane closures are permitted on Highway 1 during the day (5a.m. – 9p.m.). During this time the contractor will not be permitted to engage in activities along the corridor that disrupt traffic flow. Work will be allowed in off-highway areas and visual screens will be used to minimize any traffic disruption.

Where lane closures are permitted, generally after 9 p.m. and before 5 a.m., allowable traffic delays will be limited to 10 minutes or less between Vancouver and Coquitlam, between Coquitlam and Surrey, and between Surrey and Langley – or up to 20 minutes total if traveling the entire corridor.

How can I plan my commute?

Visit www.pmh1project.com for up-to-date traffic information and construction schedules. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the 24/7 Project information line at 1-866-999-PMH1 (7641). This line will be staffed with live operators to answer your questions or refer you to the appropriate individual. You can also request to be added to the project database to receive construction and traffic updates by email. To sign up for these updates, please visit the website (www.pmh1project.com).

Our website will also be updated regularly to let people know what work is being scheduled. Additionally, to keep local communities and businesses informed as work progresses, site-specific PMH1 postcard notices will be mailed directly to your door.

Please watch for electronic message boards and other roadside signs along the highway and adjoining routes which will also provide information about upcoming works.

When are the delay-free travel times?

No planned lane closures or delays are allowed during the following periods:

  • Weekdays between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m.
  • On Statutory Holidays and long weekends
  • During the Olympic Games
  • When there are major events occurring at BC Place, GM Place, Pacific Coliseum or other major venues that draw large amounts of traffic from other municipalities (such as the Celebration of Light Fireworks) eastbound lane closures will start later to allow traffic to dissipate.

During periods where lane closures are permitted, traffic will be monitored to ensure that no traveller will be delayed on Highway 1 longer than:

  • 10 minutes between Vancouver and Coquitlam
  • 10 minutes between Coquitlam and Surrey
  • 10 minutes between Surrey and Langley
  • 20 minutes total between Vancouver and Langley

I am a marine user, how will the Project affect me?

Visit www.pmh1project.com for Marine Updates. These updates will advise if any of the activities associated with the bridge construction will affect marine traffic. Activities will be advertised on the website as far as possible in advance.

Will there be transit across the Port Mann Bridge on opening day?

Yes. On October 5th, 2007, an agreement was signed by the Ministry of Transportation and TransLink, committing to the introduction of a RapidBus Transit service between Langley and Coquitlam/Burnaby, when the new Port Mann Bridge opens in 2013. This will be the first time in over 20 years that transit has been available across the Port Mann Bridge.


The RapidBus service between Coquitlam/Burnaby and Langley will be a viable transportation alternative to single-occupant vehicles for people using the Port Mann Bridge. With few stops and using HOV lanes, the RapidBus will take less than 25 minutes, which will be just as fast or faster than travelling by car.
The RapidBus service will operate between the following communities: Coquitlam/Burnaby, Surrey and Langley with connecting bus service to Abbotsford, communities north of the Fraser via the new Golden Ears Bridge and the rest of the Burrard Peninsula via connections to existing SkyTrain routes.

Service will be based on three major transit hubs, including park and ride facilities:

  • Langley – in the vicinity of 202nd Street
  • Surrey – in the vicinity of 160th Street
  • Coquitlam/Burnaby– at the Lougheed SkyTrain Station

The Port Mann Bridge is also being designed to accommodate light rail rapid transit in the future.

What is the PMH1 Project doing for cyclists?

The Province is investing $50 million in cycling infrastructure for the Gateway Program, the majority on PMH1 – the largest investment in BC’s history.

Cycling facilities will be included as part of the interchange upgrades to increase opportunities for cyclists to cross the highway, to enhance connections to the regional cycling network and to provide access over the Port Mann Bridge.

Will the improvements associated with the PMH1 Project contribute to increased vehicle emissions?

The PMH1 improvements are a key component of the Province’s plan to reduce congestion, give people efficient transportation options, improve goods movement and reduce vehicle emissions.

Traffic congestion, particularly idling cars and trucks, contributes to poor air quality. Reducing idling by encouraging a free flow of traffic and alternative transportation choices means air emissions due to idling will improve.

The Gateway Program will address congestion, safety and mobility problems with virtually no increase in regional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – a net increase of less than one per cent.

The Gateway Program also provides for over $50 million for expansion of cycling facilities.

What is the scope or the boundaries of the PMH1 Project?

The PMH1 project includes widening of the highway, construction of a new Port Mann Bridge, upgrading interchanges and improving access and safety on Highway 1 from the McGill Interchange in Vancouver to 216th Street in Langley, a distance of approximately 37 kilometers.

The pre-design concept for the project is based on predicted population and economic growth and associated transportation demands through to 2031 and includes demand management and congestion-reduction measures such as HOV lanes, transit and commercial vehicle priority access to highway on-ramps, improvements to the cycling network and electronic tolling on the Port Mann Bridge. As well, the proposed new Port Mann Bridge will be built to accommodate light rail transit in the future.

What actions will the contractor take to mitigate construction noise?

There are two types of noise effects being considered as part of the Project – construction noise and noise from highway operations once construction is complete.

Noise impacts from temporary construction activities can be effectively mitigated through:

  • Timing of work;
  • Regular maintenance of construction equipment, including mufflers; and
  • Working with communities to address noise issues as they arise.

If you have a noise concern, please contact the PMH1 Project team by email (info@pmh1project.com) or by phone: 1-866-999-PMH1 (7641).

In terms of ongoing operations, the improvements have the potential to increase noise in some areas adjacent to the highway.

A noise impact assessment was prepared as part of pre-design planning and development for the application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate (EAC) for the PMH1. The Ministry of Transportation engaged environmental specialists to conduct a number of studies to identify areas where noise may increase and to develop and implement appropriate measures to avoid and minimize impacts.

There are a variety of ways to minimize or mitigate potential noise impacts, including:

  • Quiet pavement,
  • Landscaping (berms and landscape buffers), and
  • Noise walls.

All noise mitigation requirements are currently being confirmed as part of the detailed design. The Ministry is committed to working with communities to determine the most appropriate design for noise mitigation, where warranted. Mitigation strategies will vary among communities since noise impacts are a function of proximity to the road as well as surrounding geography. Further community consultation will take place in fall 2009 to ensure that final designs consider community interests and technical and financial constraints. Construction activities may create temporary noise impacts within communities adjacent to the corridor.

I am a subcontractor or tradesperson. How do I submit a proposal or application to work with the Project?

Kiewit-Flatiron intends to use local subcontractors as much as possible and is in the process of awarding contracts to local firms for work including but not limited to:

  • Underground utilities
  • Bridges
  • Excavation
  • Rebar
  • Ground improvements

Although Peter Kiewit Sons Co. and Flatiron Construction Corp. both have corporate head offices outside of British Columbia, the General Partnership that was created for this project is locally based and the majority of workers are locals.

Currently 500 of the 550 Kiewit-Flatiron staff who are involved on PMH1 are local. The company plans to hire hundreds of additional staff from the Vancouver area to work on the project in the future.
All positions are being filled through the contractors working on the Project:

Resumes sent to the PMH1 info email address (info@pmh1project.com) will not be considered.

Why will the PMH1 Project be tolled?

Tolls will be used to pay for the project and help manage growth in traffic over time. A comprehensive tolling information plan will be developed closer to the start of tolling, when the new bridge opens. The toll for cars will be $3 each way, increasing with inflation over time. The Province will set annual toll rates.

Electronic tolls will ensure efficiency and help provide a range of ways in which people can pay. The PMH1 Project will work with the Golden Ears Bridge to ensure that the transponders will be valid for both bridges.

Transportation Investment Corporation (TI Corp) is a new crown corporation. TI Corp will contract with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to deliver and operate the Port Mann/Highway 1 Project, with Kiewit-Flatiron General Partnership as the design-build constructor.

This structure maintains government oversight while ensuring that the tolls collected for the project will go towards paying for the project. It also ensures that cost overruns or construction delays will be the responsibility of the design-build contractor.

Will anyone be exempt from tolls?

  • Registered commercial trucks will receive an overnight discount of 50%, to help encourage them to travel outside of busy commuting times.
  • Registered HOVs will also receive a discount during peak commuting periods, as an added incentive to consider carpooling – reducing transportation impacts on the environment.
  • Special vehicles such as taxis, persons with disabilities, vanpools and transit vehicles will be exempt from tolls.

Further information regarding tolling will be available prior to project completion.

Does the PMH1 Project record or store license plate numbers or vehicle information that is captured on the construction cameras?

The PMH1 construction cameras are intended to allow members of the public to monitor construction progress and traffic conditions.  Transportation Investment Corporation (TI Corp) does not collect or store personal information, such as license plate numbers or vehicle information.  For more information about the construction camera privacy policy, please contact MoTClientRelations@gov.bc.ca.

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