Construction begins soon on the new transit exchange set for Montrose Avenue in downtown Abbotsford.
The City of Abbotsford announced the commencement of the construction in a press release on Tuesday (Jan. 30).
The exchange will be located on Montrose Avenue between McDougall Avenue and South Fraser Way in the area around Archway Community Services.
The project was identified as a priority in the city’s 2018 Transportation and Transit Master Plan and in the BC Transit Future Action Plan.
The contract for this project was awarded to Ballina Contracting, with construction scheduled to start soon and be completed by the end of summer 2024. During construction, some traffic impacts and delays can be expected, but local access to the area will be maintained and accessible pedestrian detours will be in place.
The City of Abbotsford, in partnership with the Government of Canada, Province of BC and BC Transit is pleased to announce construction of a new transit exchange on Montrose Avenue in Historic Downtown Abbotsford.
— City of Abbotsford (@City_Abbotsford) January 30, 2024
Full release: https://t.co/mFJQl8RPir pic.twitter.com/jLEbIeJfJP
According to the release, the new transit exchange will provide residents with greater access to transit, support the City’s future transit network, accommodate future increases in transit service levels and improve rider experience.
It will feature 10 bus bays, new shelters with bench seating, accessible sidewalks, bike lockers and racks, cycling amenities, garbage bins, improved street lighting, in addition to new crosswalks and wayfinding. This new infrastructure will also enhance connections throughout Abbotsford by supporting the City’s future transit network between Highstreet Shopping Centre and the University of the Fraser Valley.
“The City of Abbotsford has seen significant population growth over the past decade and as we continue to expand as the cultural and economic hub of the Fraser Valley, public transit is becoming vital to the accessibility of our city,” stated Abbotsford mayor Ross Siemens. “The new transit exchange will not only enhance the experience for transit users, but will create a vital link from Historic Downtown to other key areas of our community and we’re excited to have Ballina Contracting on board and starting construction.”
This project is funded in part thanks to investments by the Government of Canada and the Province of BC, including $2.2M from the province’s Growing Communities Fund.
“Building a transit system for the future begins from the ground up today,” stated Dan Coulter, the minister of municipal affairs. “People in Abbotsford are seeing the first steps in creating a transit network that is resilient to the growth this region will face in the coming years. This exchange will offer new amenities to improve the transit experience for riders and new bus bays to better connect Abbotsford to its neighbours.”
Total funding of $8.4 million was originally announced on Aug. 28, 2023 and construction was originally set to begin in the fall, but was delayed.
RELATED: $8.4M announced for new Montrose bus exchange in Abbotsford