Dewdney Trunk construction set to wrap up in April

As water main construction moves a little faster, traffic is set to move a little slower.

Metro Vancouver is currently at work on the 1.6-kilometre Dewdney Trunk Road water main. Placed between Lougheed Highway and Pier Drive, the 0.9-metre-diameter pipe is set to replace a 76-year-old water main.

Work is slated to wrap up in April. For the next three months, traffic is set to be down to one lane in each direction on Dewdney between Lougheed and Mariner Way.

Crews are expected work from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Site work involves removing approximately 79 trees and excavating a trench to install and weld the main before backfilling the area.

The area is set to be restored to “previous or better condition” when the job is finished, according to Metro Vancouver.

Coquitlam is asking commuters to watch for work crews and equipment while driving in the area.

Coquitlam city council has previously criticized Metro Vancouver for a lack of communication with residents around water main construction.

The entire project, including the four-kilometre Cape Horn section, is tentatively set to wrap up in 2032.

Coinciding with the water main, Metro Vancouver is also planning to double the amount of water drawn from Coquitlam Lake.

The lake currently supplies about 370 million litres of water per day – about one-third of the drinking water needed by the region’s 2.7 million residents, according to Metro Vancouver. The expansion is set to be complete in the late 2030s.