British Columbia Highway 7

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Highway 7

Lougheed Highway
Broadway
Haney Bypass
Sections in red denotes Highway 7
Lougheed Highway near Coquitlam 2018.jpg
Lougheed Highway near Coquitlam (2018)
Route information
Maintained by British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Length150 km[1][2] (93 mi)
Existed1941–present
Major junctions
West end Hwy 99 (Granville Street) in Vancouver
Major intersections Hwy 1 (TCH) in Coquitlam
Hwy 7B in Port Coquitlam
Golden Ears Way in Maple Ridge
Hwy 11 in Mission
Hwy 9 in Kent
East end Hwy 1 (TCH) near Hope
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
Regional districtsMission, Kent, Hope
Major citiesVancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge
Highway system
← Hwy 6→ Hwy 7B

Highway 7, known for most of its length as the Lougheed Highway and Broadway, is an alternative route to Highway 1 through the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. Whereas the controlled-access Highway 1 follows the southern bank of the Fraser River, Highway 7 follows the northern bank.

Highway 7 was first commissioned in 1941, and originally went from Vancouver to Harrison Hot Springs, following Dewdney Trunk Road between Port Moody and Port Coquitlam. In 1953, Highway 7 was moved to its current alignment between Vancouver and Coquitlam. Its eastern end was moved south from Harrison Hot Springs to Agassiz in 1956, and then east to Ruby Creek in 1968. Since September 1972, Highway 7 has travelled to a junction with Highway 1 just north of Hope.[3]

The name of the highway, unlike that of Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed, is pronounced /ˈloʊhiːd/. The highway is named after Nelson Seymour Lougheed, MLA for the Dewdney District and the BC Minister of Public Works (1928–1929), who ran a logging company in the area.

Route details

The Lougheed Highway just east of Brentwood Town Centre SkyTrain station in Burnaby
Highway 7 near Harrison Mills

Highway 7's total length under the jurisdiction of the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation (MOT) is 118 km (73 mi). Highway 7 is signed as far west as Granville Street on Broadway in Vancouver, all the way east through Burnaby into Coquitlam, which is under the jurisdiction of the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority (TransLink). The section under the MOT's jurisdiction begins at the westbound exit with Highway 1 near Schoolhouse Street, with a total length of 2.3 km (1.4 mi). The highway then turns immediately northeast, meets with Highway 1 at the Cape Horn Interchange, and has an exit with United Boulevard. The highway leaves the MOT's jurisdiction 300 m (980 ft) after the interchange.[4] TransLink again has jurisdiction of Highway 7 from the point east of Ottawa Street to the point east of United Boulevard.[5]

Highway 7 falls under the MOT's jurisdiction again after Ottawa Street, crossing over the Pitt River Bridge into Pitt Meadows. 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of the Pitt River bridge, it crosses into Maple Ridge at Maple Meadows Way, and the highway then crosses into Mission another 20 km (12 mi) east. 9 km (5.6 mi) of Highway 7's entry into Mission, it meets a junction with Highway 11. 8 km (5.0 mi) east of the Highway 11 junction, Highway 7 leaves Mission over the Hatzic Pump Bridge.

27 km (17 mi) east of the Highway's eastern exit from Mission, Highway 7 enters the Municipality of Kent. 14 km (8.7 mi) east, it reaches a junction with Highway 9 at Agassiz. 18 km (11 mi) northeast of the Highway 9 junction, it leaves Kent. Another 12 km (7.5 mi) northeast, Highway 7 finally reaches its eastern terminus at a junction with Highway 1 at Haig, just across the Fraser River from the main part of Hope.

History

Lougheed Highway, as it exists today is the direct successor to the Dewdney Trunk Road, which was completed around 1900.[6] Portions of the Lougheed in fact, were a part of Dewdney Trunk Road.[6] A subsidized ferry service across the Pitt River was instigated on September 27, 1902,[7] and was replaced in March 1915 by the first Pitt River Bridge.[8] In the mid-1920s, the section from Harrison Mills to Agassiz over Woodside Mountain was built, being completed by the end of the 1926/27 fiscal year.[9] This also included a bridge over the Harrison River.[10] Around 1929 portions of the highway which followed Nicomen Slough were relocated.[11]

From 1928 to 1931, contractors and the Public Works Department built in sections what is now the present alignment of Lougheed Highway from the Pitt River Bridge through to Mission.[12][13][14] The route followed the already existing powerlines in Pitt Meadows,[15] went through Haney, continued in the vicinity of the already existing River Road,[16] and then followed the Fraser River to Mission. Ideas for a highway connecting Haney to Mission the via the path the Lougheed takes today can be traced back at least to 1919.[17] Around the time of the construction of today's Lougheed through Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge, construction of what was then called the "Central Arterial Highway"[18] started through Burnaby.[19] The provincial government however, failed to complete the entire projected road[20] and it wouldn't be until 1946 that the effort to build the road recommenced.[21][22] The missing link in the road from what is now Lakeside Drive to Blue Mountain St. and Brunette Avenue was completed by June 1948.[23]

On August 14, 1950, the present truss bridge that carries eastbound traffic over the Coquitlam River was officially opened by Roderick Charles MacDonald.[24]

In September 1954, the section of Lougheed through the flats south of Maillardville and around Cape Horn was opened in a two-lane configuration.[25][26] Previously, the highway followed streets that now make up both Brunette and Cape Horn Avenues.[27][28]

In 1957 several bridges including the first Pitt River Bridge and the bridge at Harrison Mills were replaced. W. A. C. Bennett opened the new Pitt River and Harrison River Bridges on October 21.[29] Around that time via the Mt. Woodside section was improved significantly.[29] Work on the Agassiz-Haig Highway was also sought over.[30] Around 1958, the highway was widened to four lanes from Boundary Road to North Road, entirely in Burnaby.[31][32]

In the 1970s, several sections of the highway were widened from Coquitlam to Maple Ridge. In 1971 or early 1972, work to widen the highway to four lanes from Cape Horn to Pitt River Road was completed.[33] The Agassiz-Haig section of the highway was finally opened in September 1972 after many years of construction and want.[34][35] By early 1973 the segment from the Pitt River Bridge to Haney had also been widened to a four-lane standard.[36]

From about 1953 and up until 1975, Highway 7 followed Westwood Street from today's Orchid Street intersection, over the now-gone Scott Creek bridge and along Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam border to the intersection with Barnet Highway.[37] This portion was replaced by the Sharpe Street Extension which completed and opened on September 5, 1975.[38]

In 1981 work to widen the North Road to Cape Horn Interchange section was completed.[39] Work on widening of the section of highway from Haney to Albion was being done during the early to mid-eighties.[40]

Through the 1990s, efforts were made to widen the highway from Albion to Mission. In 1991 and 1992, the section between Highway 11 and Grant Street was widened to four lanes for $4,571,000.[41] In 1992 and 1993, the highway was widened to four lanes from the western boundary of Langley I.R. 5 to Whonnock for $12.7 million[42]

In 1999, portions of Highway 7 and a former alignment were devolved to the municipalities of Burnaby,[a] Coquitlam,[b] Port Coquitlam,[c] and Maple Ridge.[d][43][44][45]

Around 2001, work to widen Lougheed highway from Brunette Avenue to Schoolhouse Street in Coquitlam to a six-lane cross section was completed.[46] From October 2004 to about November 2005 the section from 285 Street to Mclean Street in Silverdale was widened to four lanes.[47][48] In 2011, widening of the highway to four lanes from Wren street to Nelson street was completed.[49]

From May 2018 to July 2020, work was underway to widen the portion of highway between Nelson Street and the Silverdale area in Mission. The project was completed successfully.[50] As of 2022, only one section remains to be widened to four lanes from Vancouver to Mission. This section, from 266 St. to 287 St. is, as of December 2022, under construction.[51][52]

2021 floods

On November 14, 2021, the province experienced extreme rainfall events that led to debris flows and flooding.[53] As a result, two mudslides occurred late that evening near Seabird Island on the Agassiz-Haig section of the highway, trapping nearly 100 vehicles between the two slides.[54] The next day, Canadian military personnel used helicopters to safely transport over 300 people to Agassiz.[55]

Major intersections

Regional DistrictLocationkm[1][2]miDestinationsNotes
Metro VancouverVancouver0.000.00Broadway
Granville Street (Hwy 99) – City Centre, Whistler, Airport (YVR), USA Border		Western terminus; Broadway continues west
0.850.53Oak Street
1.701.06Cambie Street – City Centre
2.701.68Main Street – City Centre
2.801.74KingswayFormer Hwy 1A / Hwy 99A
4.402.73Clark Drive
5.003.11Commercial Drive
7.604.72Rupert StreetEastern terminus of Broadway; Hwy 7 becomes Lougheed Highway
Vancouver–Burnaby
boundary		8.505.28Boundary Road
Burnaby12.707.89Kensington AvenueGrade separated; eastbound exit and entrance
12.908.02Sperling AvenueAccess to Winston Avenue and Kensington Avenue
16.9010.50Gaglardi Way – Simon Fraser University
Burnaby–Coquitlam
boundary		18.5011.50North Road – New Westminster, Pattullo Bridge
Coquitlam20.20–
20.30		12.55–
12.61		Blue Mountain Street, Brunette Avenue – New Westminster, Pattullo Bridge
22.00–
24.80		13.67–
15.41		 Hwy 1 (TCH) – Vancouver, Port Mann Bridge, Surrey, Hope
Hwy 7B east (Mary Hill Bypass) – Maple Ridge
United Boulevard		Cape Horn Interchange
No access from Hwy 7 east to Hwy 1 west; Hwy 7 turns north
29.6018.39Barnet Highway / Pinetree WayHwy 7 branches east; former Hwy 7A west
Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam
boundary		30.2018.77Westwood Street
Port Coquitlam33.1020.57Coast Meridian RoadPartially grade separated
East end of TransLink jurisdiction[56]
34.8021.62 Hwy 7B west (Mary Hill Bypass) to Hwy 1 (TCH) – VancouverInterchange
Port Coquitlam–Pitt Meadows
boundary		35.14–
35.66		21.83–
22.16		Pitt River Bridge crosses the Pitt River
Pitt Meadows36.2822.54Old Dewdney Trunk Road, Kennedy Road
38.8424.13Harris Road
40.5625.20 Golden Ears Way (Hwy 916) to Hwy 1 (TCH) – Golden Ears Bridge, Langley, SurreyPartially grade separated
Maple Ridge40.9925.47Dewdney Trunk Road, Maple Meadows WayEntrance from Golden Ears Way north
45.2228.10222 Street, Haney Bypass / Lougheed HighwayHwy 7 follows Haney Bypass
45.6728.38223 Street, Callaghan Avenue (to 224 Street)
47.7829.69Lougheed Highway / Kanaka WayHwy 7 returns to Lougheed Hwy
Fraser ValleyMission69.4643.16 Hwy 11 south to Hwy 1 (TCH) / Cedar Valley Connector – AbbotsfordHwy 11 northern terminus
70.5143.81West end of one-way road pair
71.2144.25Horne StreetEastbound access to Horne Street Connector
71.3444.33 Glasgow Avenue (Hwy 915:0671) to Hwy 11 south / Murray Street – AbbotsfordConnects to Horne Street Connector; no direct eastbound access
72.6445.14East end of one-way road pair
Kent103.9064.56Harrison River Bridge crosses the Harrison River
118.4273.58 Hwy 9 north (Hot Springs Road) / Else Road – Harrison Hot SpringsHwy 7 turns right; west end of Hwy 9 concurrency
120.0174.57 Hwy 9 south (Evergreen Drive) – Agassiz, ChilliwackEast end of Hwy 9 concurrency
121.6175.56 Agassiz Bypass (Hwy 915:2752) to Hwy 9 south – Chilliwack, VancouverAgassiz Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
Hope150.4493.48 Hwy 1 (TCH) to Hwy 3 / Hwy 5 – Hope, Cache Creek, Princeton, MerrittHaig Interchange
Hwy 7 eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b Landmark Kilometre Inventory (PDF). British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (Report). Cypher Consulting. July 2016. pp. 192–200. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 11, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  2. ^ a b Google (March 11, 2017). "Highway 7 (Vancouver-Coquitlam)" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  3. ^ British Columbia Department of Highways (July 31, 1973). "Minister of Highways - Report for the Fiscal Year 1972/73". open.library.ubc.ca. Queen's Printer of British Columbia. p. 56. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  4. ^ "Coquitlam council asks for better signage after drivers cross Port Mann Bridge by mistake". Vancouver Sun.
  5. ^ "Official Numbered Routes in British Columbia". B.C. Ministry of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  6. ^ a b Davis, Chuck (2000). Where Rails Meet Rivers. Madeira Park: Harbour Publishing. p. 44. ISBN 978-1550172218.
  7. ^ "Interesting Items". The Province. September 29, 1902. ProQuest 2368000604.
  8. ^ "New Bridge Completed". The Daily Province. March 5, 1915. ProQuest 2368083947.
  9. ^ British Columbia Ministry of Public Works (1928). Minister of Public Works Report for the Fiscal Year 1926/27 (Report). Victoria: Government of British Columbia. pp. 7, 8. doi:10.14288/1.0355425. J110.L5 S7; 1959_V01_11_G1_G163. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  10. ^ Staff Writer (September 1, 1926). "B.C. Is Rushing Road Projects to Completion". The Vancouver Daily Province. ProQuest 2368297624.
  11. ^ British Columbia Ministry of Public Works (1930). Report of the Minister of Public Works for the Fiscal Year 1928/29 (Report). Victoria: Government of British Columbia. p. 28 (S-16). doi:10.14288/1.0300612. J110.L5 S7; 1930_V02_08_S1_S161. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  12. ^ Nickols, Sheila (1972). Maple Ridge: a History of Settlement. Maple Ridge: Canadian Federation Of University Women. pp. 32, 81, 91, 110.
  13. ^ British Columbia Department of Public Works (1931). Report of the Minister of Public Works of The Province of British Columbia Report for the Fiscal Year 1929-1930 (Report). Victoria: Government of British Columbia. pp. 21, 24. doi:10.14288/1.0300534. J110.L5 S7; 1931_V02_09_T1_T181.
  14. ^ Baber, Michael G. (November 24, 1929). "Modernizing Our Roads - Taking the Kinks Out of the Fraser Valley Highway". The Sunday Province. ProQuest 2368411239.
  15. ^ B.C. Electric (?) (1923). B.C. Electric Rly. Co., Arrangement of Transmission Lines, Vancouver District (Map). ProQuest 2368297624.
  16. ^ Municipality of Maple Ridge (Map). Corporation of the District of Maple Ridge. 1930.
  17. ^ Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. "FOI Request - TRA-2020-06361 Response Package". www2.gov.bc.ca. British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. pp. 484–490 (515–521). Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  18. ^ Walker, Elizabeth (1999). Street Names of Vancouver (PDF). Vancouver: Vancouver Historical Society. p. 71. ISBN 9780969237877.
  19. ^ "Work for Men on New Road". Victoria Daily Times. February 2, 1931. p. 3. ProQuest 2257564308.
  20. ^ "Vancouver's Gateway". The Vancouver Daily Province. November 8, 1945. p. 4. ProQuest 2368955949.
  21. ^ "Lougheed Road Bids Due Soon". The Vancouver Sun. Victoria. August 23, 1946. p. 1. ProQuest 2240049899.
  22. ^ "New Road Link to Fraser Bridge - Lougheed Highway to be Carried Across Burnaby to Pattullo Span". The Vancouver Daily Province. September 5, 1946. p. 1. ProQuest 2368811228.
  23. ^ "Three Hurt in Burnaby Auto Crash". The Vancouver Daily Province. Burnaby. June 23, 1948. p. 6. ProQuest 2368915992. Lougheed Highway paving was finished a week ago
  24. ^ "Lougheed Road Link Hinted - Work May Start This Year, Cabinet Minister Suggests". Vancouver Sun. August 15, 1950. p. 13. ProQuest 2240144960.
  25. ^ "Coquitlam Protests Road Move". Vancouver Sun. September 17, 1954. p. 26. ProQuest 2369148606.
  26. ^ "New Lougheed Paving Starts". Vancouver Sun. August 18, 1954. ProQuest 2240335197.
  27. ^ H.M. Gousha Company, Shell Corporation (1953). Shell Map of British Columbia and Western Canada (Map). Shell Maps. Cartography by H.M. Gousha. Shell Corporation. § Vancouver Inset.
  28. ^ Department of Mines and Resources (1949). New Westminster (West) (Map). 1:50000. National Topographic Series (in English and French). Cartography by Department of Mines and Resources - Bureau of Survey and Mapping. Ottawa: Department of National Defence - Army Survey Establishment. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  29. ^ a b Ramsden, Eric (October 23, 1957). "Two bridges open way to a new drive". The Province. p. 8. Retrieved December 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "Vancouver-Haig Highway - Missing Link in Highway Sought". Vancouver Sun. January 25, 1957. p. 25. ProQuest 2240275113.
  31. ^ British Columbia Department of Highways (1959). Minister of Highways Report for the Fiscal Year 1957/58 (Report). Victoria: Government of British Columbia. doi:10.14288/1.0355425. J110.L5 S7; 1959_V01_11_G1_G163. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  32. ^ British Columbia Department of Highways (1960). Minister of Highways Report for the Fiscal Year 1958/59 (Report). Victoria: Government of British Columbia. pp. 24 (G24), 32 (G32), 94 (G94). doi:10.14288/1.0356108. J110.L5 S7; 1960_V01_11_G1_G116. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  33. ^ British Columbia Department of Highways (1972). Minister of Highways Report for the Fiscal Year 1971/72 (Report). Victoria: Government of British Columbia. p. 107. doi:10.14288/1.0375933. J110.L5 S7; 1973_V01_12_C1_C204.
  34. ^ Lew, Thomas (August 9, 1972). "Promised Ready for Traffic by Labour Day - Haig-Agassiz Road Hailed as Problem Solver". Vancouver Sun. p. 39. ProQuest 2241079525.
  35. ^ Lew, Thomas (September 18, 1972). "Land Takeover Battle - Mixed Reception Given Agassiz-Haig Highway". Vancouver Sun. Vancouver Sun. p. 29. ProQuest 2241575711.
  36. ^ British Columbia Department of Highways (1973). Minister of Highways Report for the Fiscal Year 1972/73 (Report). Victoria: Government of British Columbia. p. 56. doi:10.14288/1.0376284. J110.L5 S7; 1974_V01_12_C1_C218.
  37. ^ City of Coquitlam (1990). Coquitlam 100 Years - Reflections on the Past. Coquitlam: District of Coquitlam (City of). p. 391. ISBN 0-9694592-0-3.
  38. ^ "$3.5 million Route is Opened". The Province. The Province. September 6, 1975. p. 44. ProQuest 2380258982.
  39. ^ British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Highways (1981). Minister of Transportation and Highways Report for the Fiscal Year 1980/81 (Report). Victoria: Government of British Columbia. pp. 165, 355, 358. doi:10.14288/1.0372778. J110.L5 S7; 1982_V02_12_001_507. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  40. ^ Province of British Columbia (1985). Minister of Transportation and Highways Report for the Fiscal Year 1984/85 (Report). Victoria: Government of British Columbia. p. 58. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  41. ^ B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways Report 1991/92. Province of British Columbia. 1993. p. 23. ISSN 0706-1897.
  42. ^ B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways Report 1992/93. Province of British Columbia. 1994. p. 22. ISSN 0706-1897.
  43. ^ a b c "Greater Vancouver Regional Transportation Authority Major Road Network Bylaw No. 1/Schedule A". Bylaw of March 20, 1998 (PDF).
  44. ^ a b c "Greater Vancouver Regional Transportation Authority Major Road Network Bylaw No. 2/Schedule A". Bylaw of 1999 (PDF).
  45. ^ Robinson, Tina (February 27, 2013). "TransLink 101: Managing major roads and bridges in Metro Vancouver". buzzer.translink.ca. Translink. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  46. ^ City of Coquitlam. "City Projects". city.coquitlam.bc.ca. City of Coquitlam. Archived from the original on August 27, 2001.
  47. ^ Ministry of Transportation and Infrastrucutre. "South Coast Region Highways Projects". th.gov.bc.ca. British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Archived from the original on January 6, 2006.
  48. ^ "Lougheed Highway widening project done a year early". Mission City Record. Mission City Record. November 17, 2005. ProQuest 373124293.
  49. ^ Ministry of Transportation and Infrastrucutre. "South Coast Region Highway Projects". th.gov.bc.ca. British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Archived from the original on July 4, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  50. ^ Staff Writer (July 24, 2020). "Lougheed Improvement Project Completed". Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News. Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  51. ^ Government of British Columbia. "Highway 7 Widening - 266th St. to 287th St". www2.gov.bc.ca. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  52. ^ Government of British Columbia (November 16, 2022). "Construction set to begin on Highway 7 four-lane upgrade". Government of British Columbia. BC Gov't News. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  53. ^ Nelms, Ben (November 15, 2021). "BC Rain and Floods". CBC. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  54. ^ Little, Simon (November 14, 2021). "B.C. highways 1, 3, 7 and Coquihalla closed near Hope due to slides and flooding". Global News. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  55. ^ Mangione, Kendra (November 15, 2021). "B.C. highways: Vehicles trapped by mud, lanes washed into river, Hwy. 1 closed in Fraser Valley". CTV News. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  56. ^ Major Road Network (PDF) (Map). TransLink. May 20, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2017.

Footnotes

  1. ^ All portions.[43]
  2. ^ All segments with the exception of the portion from Coleman Avenue to Colony Farm Road.[43]
  3. ^ All portions except from east of Ottawa Street to the Pitt Meadows border.[44]
  4. ^ The Lougheed highway bypassed by the Haney Bypass (i.e. the original highway section from 222 St. to Kanaka Way)[44]
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