Five Creeks Stormwater Flood Protection Project
Update: Week of May 21–24
Construction work will consist of water main construction between Mathers Avenue moving north to Thompson Place. Expect intermittent traffic delays while work is in progress. There may be some work that will require single-lane alternating traffic along this section of road. Traffic control personnel will be on site to accommodate necessary detours.
Update: May 14
The District has received calls and emails from concerned residents looking for more information or clarification of existing information on the Five Creeks Stormwater Flood Protection Project. We'd like to address those questions.
View frequently asked questions
View all construction updates for this project
What are we doing?
In 2013, the District of West Vancouver adopted an Integrated Stormwater Management Plan to address concerns of public and property safety within what is referred to as the Five Creeks, for the benefit of existing and future neighbourhoods below and above the Upper Levels Highway.
This plan recommends a stormwater diversion pipe to run within the creek watersheds within the boundaries of development from north of the Upper Levels Highway down to the Burrard Inlet through the Westmount and Altamont neighbourhoods.
The new stormwater diversion pipe will address concerns related to life, property safety, flooding and erosion by diverting excess water out of the creeks and safely conveying flow into the ocean.
The Five Creeks Flood Protection Project is the construction of a large diameter stormwater pipe and creek intake structures that will run from above the Upper Levels Highway, down to a new outfall at the Burrard inlet. The project is designed to control the amount of flow within the following five creeks: Pipe, Westmount, Cave, Turner, and Godman Creeks (Five Creeks) during large storm events.
Reducing flow within these creeks will help to address the impacts of future climate change and storm intensity, for these five creeks within the Rodgers Creek, Westmount and Altamont neighbourhoods.
The 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.
The District’s 2013 Integrated Stormwater Management Plan (ISMP) identified 18 existing culverts and 24 existing channel sections below the Upper Levels Highway that were inadequate to safely convey high flow storm runoff.
Further, the ISMP indicated that the Five Creeks may not have sufficient capacity to handle extreme natural storm events without significant erosion and the possibility of flooding. To decrease the risk of flooding, it was determined that the best solution is a new stormwater pipe that will divert excess water out of the creeks and safely convey flow directly to the ocean.
The project is required to reduce in-stream impacts on existing developments and eliminates the need for the District to upgrade identified existing culverts and channels that are under capacity.
Purpose
The purpose of this storm diversion project is to contain future extreme storm flows from the watersheds of Pipe Creek, Westmount Creek, Cave Creek, Turner Creek and Godman Creek which could otherwise impact the Rodgers Creek, Westmount and Altamont neighbourhoods with erosion and potential flooding. The project will increase the level of flood protection for existing properties and reduce erosion hazards, protect life and property in these neighbourhoods, and protect the watershed health of the Five Creek drainage areas.
Benefit
The project will benefit approximately 800 homes below the Upper Levels Highway, it will increase the level of flood protection for existing properties and reduce erosion hazards.
Description of work
- Water main relocates followed by complete road reconstruction and resurfacing.
- Storm diversion pipe and intake structures.
- Blasting may be required in some areas during construction due to the topography and natural ground conditions of the area, a pre-blasting survey will be conducted by the blasting company for all residents located within 50 meters of a proposed blasting site, access to the residence is required (for a complete per blast survey).
- Road reconstruction resurfacing, with sidewalk installation.
- Boulevard restoration.
Traffic management and pedestrian safety
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.
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
Due to the construction of the stormwater diversion pipe along 31st Street, Mathers Avenue and Westmount Road, the #253 Caulfield bus will be rerouted.
Expect delays especially during peak hours of 7–9 a.m. and 3–5:30 p.m.
Transit users affected by the construction works will be able to take the #250 and #250a Horseshoe Bay buses which travel along Marine Drive and transfer to the rerouted #253 Caulfield bus. The #250a Horseshoe Bay bus runs every 8 to 12 minutes throughout the day and during peak periods sometimes as often as every 6 minutes.
View a map of the Blue Bus rerouting plan: