Major Milestones Achieved in $6 Billion Surrey-Langley SkyTrain Extension Project
📅 2 weeks ago
The Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension project, a significant transit infrastructure investment in British Columbia, is making rapid progress with construction underway at all eight future stations. The project, which is expected to enhance transit efficiency in the region, is set to be completed by late 2029.
The skyline south of the Fraser River in British Columbia is undergoing a significant transformation with the advancement of the $6 billion SkyTrain extension project, marking one of the largest investments in transit infrastructure within the province’s history. Work is now actively ongoing at all eight planned SkyTrain stations, spanning from Green Timbers in Surrey to the city center of Langley. Crews are engaged in various construction activities including guideway construction, track installation, utility relocations, and road restoration along the 16-kilometer corridor.Recent updates from project officials indicate that the construction has progressed past foundational stages and has entered a phase of visible vertical construction at several station sites, a notable milestone for the project. Most of the guideway columns have already been erected, four gantries are in operation, and over 75 percent of the underground duct bank is complete. The extension aims to expand the Expo Line from King George Station to Langley City Centre, with a projected service commencement in late 2029.
“Station construction is now underway at all eight stations along the Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension,” stated project officials, highlighting that foundational work has been finalized at six stations. Significant above-ground construction is currently evident at Fleetwood and Green Timbers stations. The B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Transit has confirmed that guideway construction, utility relocations, and road restoration efforts are ongoing throughout the corridor.
Particularly visible progress can be seen along the western section of the route between 138 Street and 164 Street. At Green Timbers Station, crews are concentrating on headhouse construction and utility connections, which are expected to continue through 2026. Meanwhile, at 152 Street Station, work has begun on underground mechanical, electrical, and plumbing installations, alongside the construction of the station concourse and propulsion power substation facilities designed to supply electricity to the future rail system.
Fleetwood Station has emerged as one of the busiest construction zones along the corridor, with both the station structure and its associated power substation actively being developed. The completion of foundation work between 138 Street and 166 Street allows crews to redirect their efforts towards station building and guideway activities. Above the roadway, large launching gantries are diligently assembling the elevated guideway, with one gantry moving westward from 152 Street Station toward Green Timbers, while another has finished spans between Bakerview–166 Street Station and Fleetwood and is progressing westward toward the area around 152 Street.
The guideway itself stands as a prominent symbol of the project’s advancement, with nearly 90 percent of the guideway foundation work completed and approximately 75 percent of the over 480 planned guideway columns already constructed. Furthermore, more than 30 percent of the elevated guideway segments have been installed, which translates to roughly five kilometers of completed structure. Construction activities are similarly active in the corridor’s central section, particularly between 164 Street and 184 Street, where the future Bakerview–166 Street and Hillcrest–184 Street stations are beginning to take shape.
Foundation work continues at both stations and is anticipated to extend through the summer, accompanied by concourse construction and work on propulsion power substations. Additionally, crews are advancing utility relocations and road improvements along Fraser Highway to facilitate the installation of permanent transit infrastructure. One of the more complex engineering tasks is occurring near the Serpentine River and the South of Fraser Maintenance and Storage Facility, where large guideway beams are being installed. Due to the size and complexity of these lifts, overnight traffic controls have been implemented, and motorists may experience intermittent delays through September.
As construction ramps up further east between 184 Street and 203 Street, activity intensifies at Clayton, Willowbrook, and Langley City Centre stations. At Clayton Station, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing installations are commencing, while concourse and power substation construction continues through the summer. Willowbrook Station has progressed from foundational work into station construction, where crews are actively engaged in excavations and concrete pours following the completion of pile driving operations earlier in June. Substantial activity is also evident at Langley City Centre Station, where guideway and station work are proceeding concurrently alongside the construction of the Langley City Centre propulsion power substation, which is currently seeing wall and roof construction.
The gantry has already completed guideway spans between Hillcrest–184 Street and Clayton stations and is moving eastward toward Willowbrook Station, where it will install large precast guideway segments that will support the automated SkyTrain service. Track installation, which began this past spring, has emerged as another significant milestone, with crews delivering steel rails, positioning them on completed guideway sections, welding and grinding rail surfaces, and pouring concrete. Additional track installation east of Highway 15 is anticipated to begin later this summer as more guideway segments reach completion.
Supporting the railway, a 16-kilometer underground duct bank network is being established to carry electrical and communication lines, with three-quarters of this system already completed. B.C. Hydro crews are expected to start pulling cables through completed sections later this year. Meanwhile, roadway restoration work—including sidewalks, driveways, intersections, and pathway construction—has commenced in areas where guideway construction is complete. Upon completion of the project, the travel time between Langley City Centre and King George Station is projected to be just 22 minutes, significantly faster than the current bus service by over 25 minutes. The province is contributing $4.4 billion toward the project, complemented by a $1.3 billion investment from the federal government.
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Construction
transit
Infrastructure
Surrey
British Columbia
urban development
public transport
railway
Langley
SkyTrain
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