Traffic delays expected as FortisBC begins gas line work in Burnaby and Coquitlam

Commuters in Burnaby and Coquitlam will want to prepare for some delays this weekend, as FortisBC begins gas line upgrades.

Construction is scheduled along Lougheed Highway between Kensington and Bainbridge Avenues starting Saturday.

Only one lane will be open in each direction, continuing until upgrades to the natural gas line pipeline are complete.

Furthermore, gas line upgrades along Como Lake Avenue in Coquitlam are also expected to ramp up in the next few weeks.

Westbound traffic on Como Lake Avenue between Robinson Street and Gatensbury Street will be restricted to local traffic, buses and emergency services.

Later this spring, Gatensbury Street to Linton Street will see the same restrictions.

FortisBC spokesperson, Grace Pickell says she realizes that Como Lake is a major artery for south Coquitlam.

“We’ve planned the construction so it doesn’t interfere with the school along Como Lake, so that portion of the work through that stretch will happen in the summer when the kids are out of school. So we have made some changes like that.”

She added that the company appreciates people’s patience.

“Residents and people going through the area need to plan a little bit more time in their day-to-day commute,” she said.

Starting on Tuesday, the Madison Avenue and Lougheed Highway intersection in Burnaby will also be interrupted.

There is no timeline for completion of the project, but upgrades are supposed to be done at some point in 2019.

For more information on the gas line upgrades visit here.