It’s no secret, we’re big on safety for the travelling public. In fact, it’s our driving concern, and weather information is a big part of that. One way we help drivers stay safe is by closely monitoring environmental conditions on our roads with our Roadside Weather Stations (RWS). A key part of our Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) – these stations collect data on weather and pavement conditions from strategic locations. This information is a powerful tool for operational decision...
With a broad name like Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, there are bound to be questions. Like small-talk at a cocktail party, those 13 syllables beg the question: “So, what do you do?” Some of the work we do is probably pretty obvious, but some of it may surprise you. To help clarify our raison d’être, we thought we’d compile some of the ways we serve you. Our Way is the Highway When it comes to the ministry, the...
British Columbia is booming and, as our population grows, and communities build and expand, the relationship between our highways and adjacent land use changes. Our Development Approvals team guides road network development through rural subdivision approvals, preserves highway capacity with access and controlled area permits and protects highway safety through special events and works permits. For example: Business owners or developers with interests alongside our roads and highways want to connect with customers and draw them in. Development Approvals...
Winter doesn’t mess with the Lower Mainland all too often. But when it does, our maintenance efforts go beyond the standard plowing and sanding of highways. Our attention is also drawn skyward to the cables on the Alex Fraser Bridge and Port Mann Bridge. Snow and ice can build up around the cables that support the bridges, becoming a safety hazard to traffic below if left to freeze, melt and potentially fall. To combat the risk, we developed cable...
We’re not the only ones who know British Columbia is a scenic place to work and play. Every year, filmmakers, actors and athletes from around the world use provincial roads and highways as backdrops for the big screen and terrain for local sporting events. With the amount of filming that is done in BC, it’s no surprise we’re known as “Hollywood North.” In 2017, the film industry generated $3.6 billion for local economies, according to Creative BC statistics. Before...
As witnessed in recent years, wildfire season in BC can happen on a massive scale; cloaking the province with a gloomy shroud of smoke, making the air pungent and thick, and giving the sun an eerie blood orange tinge. Wildfires can come precariously close to side roads and highways; sometimes roads are closed or with limited access, even more have very poor visibility. That’s where we come in. We want to share a few tips and resources to help...
OK, choose your own adventure time… bear jams edition. Scenario: You and your kids are driving along one of BC’s picturesque highways (imagine the Sea to Sky, or Highway 4 to Vancouver Island’s west coast). All of a sudden, you notice a number of stopped vehicles ahead and people gathered around, their attention drawn to… what’s that?… a mother bear with her wee cub! Wow! Do you… A) Pull over slightly, tell the kids to sit put, and...
We made history achieving the longest fully automated rapid transit system in the world. We also moved it. We reached high, dug deep below, and enhanced wildlife areas along the way. Here is a collection of some of the challenges we faced and triumphs we celebrated building the Evergreen extension. Moving History – Centennial House was once the stately home to one of Port Moody’s founding City Councillors, Frederick Appleyard. One of the few remaining landmarks from the booming lumber...
