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This project destroyed Burnaby traffic for a year. Now it’s throwing us a party

The FortisBC project that has been upgrading the company’s aging gas lines is mercifully coming to an end – at least in Burnaby. It has been a long slog for drivers in North Burnaby.
FortisBC
Parts of Lougheed Highway were previously closed by FortisBC as it replaced its gas line. Now it's proposing building a new gas line in Burnaby.

The FortisBC project that has been upgrading the company’s aging gas lines is mercifully coming to an end – at least in Burnaby.

It has been a long slog for drivers in North Burnaby. First, it was seemingly endless road closures in the Brentwood area on Lougheed Highway.

Then the project moved up Lougheed to the Springer/Holdom/Sperling/Bainbridge area, where it’s still resulting in lane closures.

Broadway around Duthie, Arden and Underhill has been closed on and off for months, and around Gaglardi Way has been no cakewalk either for drivers.

But that’s all nearly done.

“Construction in Burnaby will be wrapping up in the weeks ahead, and we want to thank the community for its patience,” said a FortisBC news release.

FortisBC is thanking our “patience’ – don’t make me laugh, drivers are rarely patient – with a community event on Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to noon at Jennifer Atchison Environmental Centre, 2730 Beaverbrook Ct.

“Throughout the project, we’ve worked to support local community groups and help protect vegetation, fish and wildlife and their habitats. Next week we’re hosting an event for the Stoney Creek Environment Committee (SCEC), and we invite the community to join us. Stop by for refreshments, a chance to win giveaways and learn more about the SCEC’s inspiring work protecting and preserving Burnaby’s urban forest and salmon bearing streams.”

Will free refreshments make up for that time lost? Not likely, but it’s something.

Frankly, FortisBC has been really good about communicating its road and lane closures. It’s been a painful process, but one that was necessary as the gas lines continued to age.