Metro Vancouver cities get $145 million from TransLink for road, bike lane upgrades | Daily Hive

Metro Vancouver cities to receive $145 million from TransLink for road, bike lane, and pathway upgrades

Artistic rendering of the pedestrian and cyclist overpass design across Highway 1 between Burnaby Lake and Deer Lake. (City of Burnaby)

TransLink announced today it is committing $145 million in 2025 to support local transportation upgrades across Metro Vancouver, as part of its annual Local Government Funding Programs.

These programs partner with municipal governments across the region to co-fund infrastructure improvements that encourage sustainable transportation options such as walking, cycling, and public transit.

As usual, a major portion of this year’s funding — over $65 million for 2025 — will go toward maintaining and repairing TransLink’s designated Major Road Network (MRN), which are arterial and other key roads that support more than half of Metro Vancouver’s busiest bus routes and facilitates an estimated daily movement of over $350 million in goods through commercial and freight vehicles.

TransLink’s 2025 Investment Plan will also see a 70 per cent increase in funding for MRN pavement rehabilitation starting next year to improve the reliability and safety of these regional roadways. The MRN across Metro Vancouver spans over 2,600 lane km.

You might also like:

“The Local Government Funding Programs are vital to maintaining and improving the way we move throughout the region,” said Kevin Quinn, CEO of TransLink, in a statement.

“These investments create well-paying jobs, strengthen our communities, and boost the local economy, while making the transportation network safer and more accessible.”

Brad West, the Chair of the Mayors’ Council Chair and the Mayor of Port Coquitlam, added, “Partnerships with local governments are key to delivering transportation upgrades that our customers rely on every day. These investments help communities advance their own priorities, whether it’s making streets safer, improving accessibility, or expanding sustainable transit options at home.”

Map of TransLink’s Major Road Network. (TransLink)

Translink 2025 Local Government Funding Program projects map

Map of TransLink’s 2025 Local Government Funding Program projects. (TransLink)

The 2025 funding will support a total of 118 projects across Metro Vancouver that are led and co-funded by municipal governments, including new accessible sidewalks near public transit hubs, expanded bike lanes and pedestrian pathways, and road safety projects that enhance seismic resiliency and reduce flood risk during inclement weather.

This includes 29 projects within the City of Vancouver, which will receive a combined total of nearly $23 million in TransLink funding.

Among the largest allocations are two seismic upgrade and rehabilitation projects for the Cambie Street Bridge, each receiving $5 million, totalling $10 million. Additionally, almost $4 million has been allocated for widening the bridge’s southbound exit ramp onto West 2nd Avenue.

Other notable allocations to Vancouver include $900,000 for the Dunsmuir-Melville bike lane extension in downtown Vancouver, $400,000 for traffic signal upgrades at the intersection of West Broadway and Alma Street to improve the 99 B-Line and other bus traffic movements, $360,000 to replace the expansion joints of the Georgia Viaduct, $300,000 toward the installation of suicide prevention fencing along the Granville Street Bridge, and $300,000 for City-initiated infrastructure upgrades to support the Senakw rental housing project.

vancouver melville street bike lane concept

Route of the protected bike lane extension along Dunsmuir Street, Melville Street, Jervis Street, West Hastings Street, and Broughton Street between Hornby Street and the Coal Harbour seawall. (City of Vancouver)

Conceptual artistic rendering of the new Melville Street/Dunsmuir Street protected bike lane extension. (City of Vancouver)

TransLink will support 13 projects by the City of Surrey, providing the municipal government with a total of $14.3 million, including $4.8 million for the widening of 72 Avenue between 144 Street and 152 Street, $2.23 million for the widening of 32 Avenue between 176 Street and 184 Street, and $2 million for the widening of 16 Avenue and the new widened replacement of Little Campbell Bridge.

Other large allocations include $3.54 million for the Township of Langley toward the widening and intersection improvements of Fraser Highway in the 24300 to 24600 blocks, $3.61 million for the City of Burnaby toward the new pedestrian and cycling overpass above Highway 1 between Burnaby Lake and Deer Lake, and $1.96 million for the City of Burnaby toward the new Vancouver-SFU Burnaby cycling route.

Artistic rendering of the pedestrian and cyclist overpass design across Highway 1 between Burnaby Lake and Deer Lake. (City of Burnaby)

Vancouver-SFU Cycling Connection Burnaby bike route

Preliminary concept: Vancouver-SFU Cycling Connection (City of Burnaby).

Ever since the program began in 2017, TransLink has provided municipal governments with over $1 billion toward supporting 795 transportation infrastructure projects across the region, including $144 million in 2024.

A portion of the allocations are based on a formula that accounts for a municipality’s population, employment, and share of the MRN, while the remainder is based on a competitive application for projects spearheaded and at least partially-funded by the municipal government.

During today’s Mayors’ Council meeting, TransLink staff noted they hope to provide 2026’s annual Local Government Funding Programs with a pool of over $200 million in funding to municipalities.

In 2024, TransLink indicated it was considering cancelling this funding program starting in 2026 to better focus its resources on its core mandate of operating and maintaining Metro Vancouver’s public transit network. The move was part of broader efforts to address the transit authority’s looming fiscal cliff.

You might also like: