Construction on Davie Village pedestrian sidewalk widening begins in 2026 | Daily Hive

2025 revised rendering of Davie Street in the Davie Village at a mid-block location near The Junction and Shoppers Drug Mart. (City of Vancouver)

Major road construction work within the Davie Village area of the West End neighbourhood in downtown Vancouver is slated to begin at the end of Summer 2026.

The City of Vancouver is moving forward with its plan to widen the sidewalks of the Davie Village retail strip to improve the pedestrian experience by providing more walking space. The project will also create opportunities for additional restaurant patios, new street furniture such as seating, and the planting of more street trees.

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The sidewalk widening will be achieved by replacing the vast majority of the existing curbside vehicle parking spaces on both sides of the street, while retaining two vehicle travel lanes — one in each direction.

The project will also include new mid-block pedestrian crosswalks, a limited number of curbside parking spaces for pick-up and drop-off areas, business loading, and some accessible parking. The locations of certain TransLink bus stops will change. Existing street lamp posts will be removed and replaced with new lamp posts installed along the curbside edge of the narrowed roadway.

As previously reported by Daily Hive Urbanized in 2024, the City had been considering upgrades spanning the full three-block length of Davie Village — along Davie Street between Burrard Street and Jervis Street.

However, according to a procurement file released in late Fall 2025 to initiate the bidding process for a construction contractor, the municipal government is now proceeding with a smaller-scope project. The revised plan covers two city blocks of Davie Street, between Thurlow Street and Jervis Street.

Existing condition:

Existing condition of Davie Street in the Davie Village on the city block between Thurlow and Bute streets. (Google Maps)

Proposed reconfiguration of Davie Street within Davie Village. (City of Vancouver)

Future condition:

2024 proposed reconfiguration of Davie Street within Davie Village. (City of Vancouver)

2024 proposed changes to Davie Street in Davie Village between Bute and Thurlow streets. (City of Vancouver)

2024 proposed changes to Davie Street in Davie Village between Jervis and Bute streets. (City of Vancouver)

The project involves the “creation of a more pedestrian-friendly and appealing setting by widening sidewalks, redesigning street layouts to prioritize pedestrian needs, introducing new greenery and landscaping, for aesthetic and environmental enhancements, and the installation/upgrading of street furniture,” according to the procurement document.

The contractor prequalification process concluded in December 2025, with shortlisted proponents expected to be invited to participate in the actual bidding process in early 2026. Construction is scheduled to begin in September 2026, with completion anticipated in 2028.

During construction, the contractor will be responsible for managing the work area and ensuring that operations proceed safely and smoothly, while minimizing impacts on nearby businesses, residents, and other contractors. The work includes deep excavation to repair or replace underground services such as electricity, water, sewers, and drainage, as well as rebuilding street features including sidewalks, curbs, roadways, lighting, bus stops, trees, and signage.

The contractor will hold regular coordination meetings with City staff and other stakeholders, manage traffic disruptions (including during special events), and coordinate with utility providers such as BC Hydro and FortisBC, as well as TransLink.

Existing condition:

Existing condition of Davie Street in the Davie Village at a mid-block location near The Junction and Shoppers Drug Mart. (Google Maps)

Future condition:

2025 revised rendering of Davie Street in the Davie Village at a mid-block location near The Junction and Shoppers Drug Mart. (City of Vancouver)

2024 proposed TransLink bus stop changes on Davie Street within Davie Village. (City of Vancouver)

This public realm project for Davie Village is similar in nature to the recently completed pedestrian sidewalk widening on Robson Street around the intersection with Bute Street, which also expanded the sidewalks into the curbside parking spaces and involved a complete reconstruction and reconfiguration of the roadway.

Both projects form part of the City’s public benefits strategy under the 2013-approved West End Community Plan.

At a later date, the City will also conduct public consultations for the design of similar pedestrian-focused street transformations on other sections of Robson Street and Denman Street within the West End.

bute robson plaza street vancouver construction may 24 2025

Construction progress on Bute-Robson Plaza, as of May 24, 2025. (Kenneth Chan)

Bute-Robson Plaza, December 2025. (Kenneth Chan)

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