Six-week disruption of Lions Gate Bridge traffic for Stanley Park tunnel construction | Daily Hive

Six-week disruption of Lions Gate Bridge traffic due to Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel construction

Intersection of Denman Street and West Georgia Street, looking northwest toward Stanley Park, Stanley Park Causeway, and the Lions Gate Bridge. (Google Maps)

Drivers travelling to Stanley Park and across the Lions Gate Bridge should brace for traffic changes, added congestion, and delays over the next six weeks, as Metro Vancouver Regional District’s contracted crews will be installing a temporary overland water pipe related to the new massive Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel project.

There will be traffic impacts near the intersection of Denman Street and West Georgia Street, with both streets being a critical access route toward the bridge and park. The impacts will span from Friday, Sept. 12 to Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025.

You might also like:

Expect a daytime lane closure on Denman Street at West Georgia Street throughout this period from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. But there could also be some occasional night/weekend work.

As well, there will be westbound lane closures on West Georgia Street during the overnight period, when traffic volumes are lower.

There are no lane closures within the bridge or Stanley Park Causeway areas; all impacts are localized just east of the causeway.

Pedestrian access will remain open throughout construction, and emergency vehicles will continue to have full access to Stanley Park.

Intersection of Denman Street and West Georgia Street. (Google Maps)

At the end of each work shift, road configurations will be restored to normal. The regional district states that traffic control personnel, fencing, and signage will be in place to guide motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians safely through the area.

Drivers are strongly advised to plan for delays and consider alternate routes.

This work forms a part of one of the regional district’s most significant ongoing infrastructure upgrades. The new tunnel will replace three aging water mains built in the 1930s that currently cross Burrard Inlet at the First Narrows near the Lions Gate Bridge, and serve as a crucial connection linking the North Shore’s reservoirs and water treatment plants with Vancouver — providing much of the region’s drinking water supply.

The new 1.4-km-long tunnel will be designed to improve the seismic resilience, capacity, and reliability of the region’s drinking water system, ensuring that Metro Vancouver can continue delivering clean, safe water to millions of residents in the event of an earthquake or other major disruption.

Map of the route for the new Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel construction process. (Metro Vancouver Regional District)

The project involves advanced tunnelling methods beneath Stanley Park, with entry and exit shafts constructed at three key sites: at the edge of Lost Lagoon near the Stanley Park Causeway, near the Stanley Park Service Yard parking lot, and near where Tunnel Trail meets Stanley Park Drive next to the seawall. This will also necessitate some disruptions to vehicle traffic on a segment of Stanley Park Drive over the coming years.

The temporary overland pipe being installed in early Fall 2025 will help maintain a consistent water supply during the transition phase of construction.

The entire project carries a total construction cost of $495 million. If all goes as planned, the project will reach completion in 2029. Construction first began in November 2024.

You might also like:

Editor’s note: This article has been updated with additional information on the disruptions.