The skyline south of the Fraser River in B.C. is changing rapidly as crews push ahead on the $6 billion SkyTrain extension project, one of the largest transit infrastructure investments in the province’s history.
From Green Timbers in Surrey to the city centre in Langley, construction activity is now underway at all eight future SkyTrain stations, while guideway construction, track installation, utility relocations and road restoration work continue along the 16-kilometre corridor.
Project officials say the work has moved beyond foundational stages and into visible vertical construction at several station sites, marking a major milestone.
Most of the guideway columns have been built, four gantries are operating and the underground duct bank is more than 75 per cent complete. The extension, which will expand the Expo Line from King George Station to Langley City Centre, is scheduled to enter service in late 2029.
“Station construction is now underway at all eight stations along the Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension,” project officials stated in a recent update, noting foundation work has been completed at six stations and significant above-ground construction is now visible at Fleetwood and Green Timbers stations.
B.C. MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT – Guideway construction, track installation, utility relocations and road restoration work continue along the 16-kilometre corridor. Most of the guideway columns have been built, four gantries are operating and the underground duct bank is more than 75 per cent complete.
Along the western portion of the route between 138 Street and 164 Street, progress is particularly evident.
At Green Timbers Station, crews are focused on headhouse construction and utility connections through 2026. Nearby, at 152 Street Station, underground mechanical, electrical and plumbing installations are underway as construction begins on the station concourse and propulsion power substation facilities that will supply electricity to the future rail system.
Fleetwood Station has emerged as one of the corridor’s busiest construction zones, with both the station structure and its accompanying power substation actively taking shape. Foundation work between 138 Street and 166 Street is now complete, allowing crews to shift their focus to station building and guideway activities.
Above the roadway, giant launching gantries continue assembling the elevated guideway. A gantry has moved westward from 152 Street Station toward Green Timbers, while another has completed spans between Bakerview–166 Street Station and Fleetwood and is advancing westward toward the 152 Street area.
The guideway itself has become one of the project’s most visible symbols of progress. Nearly 90 per cent of guideway foundation work is complete and approximately three-quarters of the more than 480 planned guideway columns have already been constructed. More than 30 per cent of the elevated guideway segments have been installed, representing roughly five kilometres of completed structure.
Construction is equally active in the central section of the corridor between 164 Street and 184 Street, where future Bakerview–166 Street and Hillcrest–184 Street stations are beginning to take form.
Foundation work remains underway at both stations and is expected to continue through the summer, accompanied by concourse construction and work on propulsion power substations.
Crews are also advancing utility relocations and road improvements along Fraser Highway to make room for permanent transit infrastructure. One of the most complex engineering tasks in the section is taking place near the Serpentine River and the South of Fraser Maintenance and Storage Facility, where crews are installing large guideway beams. Because of the size and complexity of the lifts, overnight traffic controls remain in place and motorists may face intermittent delays through September.
A gantry continues working westward toward Bakerview–166 Street Station, steadily placing precast concrete segments manufactured at the project’s dedicated precast facility in South Surrey.
Further east, between 184 Street and 203 Street, construction is ramping up at Clayton, Willowbrook and Langley City Centre stations.
At Clayton Station, mechanical, electrical and plumbing installations are beginning while concourse and power substation construction proceeds through the summer. Willowbrook Station recently moved from foundation work into station construction, with crews advancing excavations and concrete pours after completing pile driving operations in early June.
Langley City Centre Station continues to see substantial activity as guideway and station work proceed simultaneously. Construction crews are also making progress on the Langley City Centre propulsion power substation, where wall and roof construction is underway.
A gantry has already completed guideway spans between Hillcrest–184 Street and Clayton stations and is continuing eastward toward Willowbrook Station, installing massive precast guideway segments that will eventually support automated SkyTrain service.
Track installation, which began this past spring, has become another significant milestone. Crews are delivering steel rails, lifting them into place on completed guideway sections, welding and grinding rail surfaces, and pouring concrete. Additional track installation east of Highway 15 is expected to begin later this summer as more guideway segments are completed.
Supporting the railway itself is a 16-kilometre underground duct bank network that will carry electrical and communication lines. Three-quarters of this system is already complete, and B.C. Hydro crews are expected to begin pulling cables through completed sections later this year.
Roadway restoration work, including sidewalks, driveways, intersections and pathway construction, is now beginning in areas where guideway construction has been completed.
Upon completion, the project will provide a 22-minute trip between Langley City Centre and King George Station – more than 25 minutes faster than current bus service.
The province is contributing $4.4 billion toward the project, while the federal government is investing $1.3 billion.