B.C.’s transportation minister says major construction is underway at the Highway 11 interchange on Highway 1 in Abbotsford, B.C., and drivers can expect some disruptions for the next few years.

“We know that construction can be disruptive at times, and we appreciate everyone’s patience as this work gets underway, but the result will be well worth it,” said Mike Farnworth during a press conference at the Highway 11 interchange on Thursday.

Drivers can expect construction speed-zone limits, lane-shifting and overnight lane closures for the next few years.

Crews will add HOV/EV lanes, bus-on-shoulder lanes and widen the highway from McKenzie Road to just east of the Highway 11 interchange, which is being replaced.

The westbound truck climbing lane is also being extended. Farther north on the highway, intersections at Marshall Road and Delair Road will be upgraded.

Work is expected to be complete in 2031.

Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens thanked the province for taking on the project, which costs around $242 million.

“We look forward to progress and onwards through to Chilliwack in the not too distant future,” he said.

No work planned yet for Highway 1 in the Sumas Prairie

Thursday’s announcement comes as construction continues on Highway 1 through the Fraser Valley, which has drawn frustration from drivers who use the major transport corridor daily.

“Always, we expect the delays. Always, we prepare our mind that we will get traffic-jammed on Highway 1,” said Abbotsford motorist Sarbjit Sandhu.

Plans to improve Highway 1 through the Sumas Prairie toward Chilliwack are pending, as flood mitigation measures in that area are still being considered by multiple levels of government.

“I can’t give you an exact timeline on that,” said Farnworth.

“But what I can tell you is that we know that there are improvements that do need to be made there, but at the same time, it is very complicated given the floodplain and the flood issues that we have seen in the past,” he said.

In February, the federal government said it would participate regularly in B.C.’s flood mitigation roundtable.

“We would certainly hope that as improvements are required — particularly given the complex nature of the area and the kind of flood mitigation improvements that would obviously be required — that the federal government is there with a chequebook,” said Farnworth.