Holdom Avenue overpass in Burnaby wins top sustainability award
The overpass project over Still Creek and the CN rail line in North Burnaby has received Envision Platinum, the highest sustainability designation from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.
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The Holdom Avenue overpass project in North Burnaby has received Envision Platinum, the highest sustainability designation given by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, Freshet News reported on November 12. The recognition covers the project's environmental design, First Nations art and habitat work in the Still Creek corridor.
The four-lane overpass crosses Still Creek and the CN rail line. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority leads the project. When complete in fall 2027, it will be handed to the City of Burnaby.
What the overpass includes
The overpass will open to vehicle traffic in spring 2027, Freshet News reports. Full completion, including final landscaping, is expected in fall 2027.
Each side of the overpass will have a 4-metre-wide multi-use pathway for cyclists and people on foot. The project includes 24 pieces of First Nations art on the pillars. Workers are planting 10,000 native trees and shrubs in the Still Creek corridor, and nearly 15,000 square metres of habitat is being restored. The plantings replace invasive species, including blackberry, knotweed and reed canarygrass.
The Central Valley Greenway, a cycling and walking route through the area, closed for four weeks in January 2026 for concrete girder installation. The project manager quoted by Freshet News says the greenway will be paved and planted with green space and benches when construction ends.
What it replaces
The overpass replaces the at-grade Douglas Road rail crossing, which Freshet News says closes about 30 times a day when trains pass. That crossing will close once the overpass opens. Freshet News notes the overpass project has been on Burnaby's planning list for nearly 100 years.
What this means for residents
Drivers, cyclists and people on foot who cross the CN rail line in the Brentwood area will gain a grade-separated route when the overpass opens in spring 2027. The Douglas Road level crossing delays of about 30 closures a day will end. Cyclists will have a 4-metre pathway on each side of the overpass, connecting to the Central Valley Greenway, which runs toward Vancouver and Coquitlam.
Questions this story answers
What award did the Holdom Avenue overpass project win?
Freshet News reports the project won the Envision Platinum designation, which is the highest sustainability recognition given by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. The award recognizes the project's environmental design, including habitat restoration and plantings in the Still Creek corridor.
When will the Holdom Avenue overpass open?
According to Freshet News, the overpass will open to vehicle traffic in spring 2027. The full project, including landscaping and final work, is expected to be complete in fall 2027. The overpass is then handed over to the City of Burnaby to maintain.
Where is the Holdom Avenue overpass and what will it replace?
The overpass is in North Burnaby, crossing Still Creek and the CN rail line. It replaces the at-grade Douglas Road rail crossing, which Freshet News says currently closes about 30 times a day when trains pass through. That crossing will close once the overpass opens.
What else is included in the Holdom overpass project besides the road?
Freshet News reports that the project includes 4-metre-wide multi-use pathways on each side of the overpass for cyclists and people on foot, 24 pieces of local First Nations art on the pillars, nearly 15,000 square metres of habitat restoration in the Still Creek corridor, and 10,000 native trees and shrubs being planted to replace invasive species including blackberry, knotweed and reed canarygrass.
Who is leading the Holdom Avenue overpass project?
Freshet News reports the project is led by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. The Port Authority's project manager, Jennifer Johnston, is quoted in the article about the site restoration plans. When the project is fully complete in fall 2027, the overpass will be handed to the City of Burnaby to maintain and operate.
What is the Envision Platinum designation?
According to Freshet News, Envision Platinum is the highest sustainability rating given by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. It recognizes infrastructure projects for environmental design, habitat work, and community benefit. The Holdom overpass project earned it for its habitat restoration, First Nations art and cycling and walking paths.
What happened to the Central Valley Greenway during construction?
Freshet News reports the Central Valley Greenway, a cycling and walking path that runs through the area, closed for four weeks in January 2026 for the installation of concrete girders. The project manager quoted in the article says the greenway will be paved and the construction site replanted with green space and benches when the work is done.
What can Burnaby residents expect when the overpass opens in spring 2027?
When the overpass opens, the Douglas Road level crossing will close, removing the rail delays that currently block the road about 30 times a day. Cyclists and people on foot will have 4-metre pathways on both sides of the overpass. The Central Valley Greenway through the area will reopen with green space and benches around it, according to Freshet News.
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