Overpass gaining momentum for Harris Road Crossing, city says

To build over the railroad or under it, that is the question Pitt Meadows and other groups involved with the Harris Road grade separation project are debating as city council prepares for its summer break.

At a council meeting on Tuesday night, the city reported that some key parties are now favouring an overpass on Harris Road, a crossing that has been a concern for residents and the city since the 1970s. 

During the week, trains block the Harris Road crossing for 3.5 hours per day. 

That number is expected to double by 2030 with Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway’s (CPKC) plans to increase track capacity, according to a letter written by the Katzie First Nation and City of Pitt Meadows earlier this year.

The ministry of transportation and infrastructure, Transport Canada, and Vancouver Fraser Port Authority were all named as key members of the project, along with the city, Katzie First Nation and CPKC, according to Mayor Nicole MacDonald. 

Council refrained from sharing comments or opinions on the project at the meeting, and the city requested information about a potential overpass from other parties involved with the project. 

In March 2023, the last time the city updated residents about the crossing, it was expected that an underpass would cost roughly $195 million, greatly exceeding the funding for the project. 

One month later, the city declined to fund nearly $50 million for the overpass project. 

MacDonald said at the time the decision would have set “an unreasonable precedent” for a city funding a major infrastructure project that falls within the federal government’s jurisdiction and trade corridor.

Overpass and underpass options were discussed at two separate meetings that involved all of the major parties of the project in February and May 2024. 

But the overpass idea is starting to gain traction as it’s likely to be cheaper and leave less of an ecological footprint than an underpass. 

A price tag for the overpass was not given at the city’s update earlier this week.

“They’re taking into consideration the amount of ground disturbance, cost and potential risks of the construction project,” said Samantha Maki, the city’s director of engineering and operations. 

The city is expecting to provide another update on the project in the future. 

In the meantime, staff are encouraging residents to voice their feedback on a potential overpass project on Harris Road. 

“Right now, the community hasn’t heard too much about an overpass, so we wanted to get it out there and hear from the community,” Maki said. 

Renderings of the potential overpass are available here. The photos are still “very high level,” Maki said, and full designs still need to be released.

You can send your thoughts directly to the city by emailing HarrisRoadCrossing@pittmeadows.ca