In 2013, the District of West Vancouver adopted an Integrated Stormwater Management Plan (ISMP) to address concerns of overland flooding within the watershed area referred to as the Five Creeks, for the benefit of both existing and future neighbourhoods below and above the Upper Levels Highway. The name Five Creeks comes from the fact that the watershed contains Pipe, Westmount, Cave, Turner, and Godman Creeks.

This plan calls for a stormwater pipe to run through the Westmount and Altamont neighbourhoods from north of the Upper Levels Highway down to the Burrard Inlet at the foot of 31st Street.

The new stormwater pipe will address concerns related to flooding and erosion by diverting excess stormwater out of the creeks during extreme weather events, safely conveying the flow into the ocean.

The project entails the construction of a large-diameter stormwater pipe that will run from above the Upper Levels Highway, down to a new outfall at the Burrard inlet. Intake structures installed on the creeks will capture any significant stormwater that will overflow the creek banks and divert the excess flow into the pipe. 

Managing storm-level flows within these creeks will reduce the impacts of intense storms in Westmount and Altamont—both present-day levels and anticipated increasing levels of severity due to climate change.

The project's construction will be broken down into sections and completed in phases. In order to reduce the duration of disruption as much as possible, there may be times when multiple crews will be working at different sections of the project. Construction will include the following:

• Water main relocation along 3200 to 3300 block of Westmount Road, Benbow Road between Thompson Place to Westmount Road, Thompson Crescent between Mathers Avenue to Thompson Place, and 3100 to 3200 block of Mathers Avenue.
• Large diameter storm pipe (approximately 1.8 meters to 3.0 meters) installation under 31st Street, Mathers Avenue and Westmount Road, in the Westmount and Altamont Neighbourhoods.
• Stormwater outfall to Burrard Inlet at the foot of 31st street.
• Storm diversion pipe and creek intake structures above the Upper Levels Highway.

Five Creeks Flood Protection Main Leg Drawing

Five Creeks Flood Protection East Leg Drawing

Construction of a large infrastructure project will have an impact on the neighbourhood. It will create inconvenience for residents. However, the inconvenience is temporary and the District is working to minimize the impact as much as possible.

Construction work will be broken down into stages; each stage will be finished before the contractor can move along to the next one. There will be times during the construction of the water main relocate that two construction crews will be working concurrently.

This will limit the amount of time the construction directly impacts each resident.

Traffic management and pedestrian safety

Onsite traffic control persons will manage pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle safety through the construction zone.

Please remember that traffic control persons and signage are there for your safety, as well as the safety of the construction workers. Please respect all signage and personnel.

Construction hours will follow the District’s Noise Control Bylaw. Construction will be permitted from are 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, or Saturdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. as required to complete work on schedule.

During water main relocate construction:

• The work will require single lane alternating traffic.
• Traffic control persons will be on-site during construction hours to help facilitate access for local traffic and any emergency vehicles.
• Parking will be restricted on the road and boulevards during the construction
• Temporary no parking signs will be installed prior to the work
• Local residents will receive additional notifications prior to start of any traffic disruptions within that phase.

During stormwater diversion construction:

• Traffic control personnel will be on site to accommodate necessary detours and to help facilitate access for local traffic and any emergency vehicles during construction hours.
• No through road permitted for local and non-local traffic.
• A minimum of one controlled access point will be provided for local residents within the affected road segment.
• Residents within the active construction stage area may only use the designated controlled access point.
• Safe residential access (both pedestrian and vehicular) is considered very important and delays will be limited 10 minutes or less.
• Road closures will remain in effect after hours, with access restricted to single-lane vehicular traffic for local traffic only.
• Parking will be restricted on the road and boulevards during the construction.
• Temporary no parking signs will be installed prior to the work.
• Local residents will receive additional notifications prior to start of any traffic disruptions within that phase.

Traffic Management Plan for the stormwater diversion construction