Surrey city council has approved the lease of a municipal land that will be used as a construction yard to help extend a SkyTrain line to Langley, B.C.

The lease with SkyLink Guideway Partners covers a 30-acre site and 19526 24th Avenue and 19525 20th Avenue in the Campbell Heights area of south Surrey. The site is part of a property known as Stokes Pit.

In the pre-cast yard, SkyLink will manufacture and temporarily store approximately 5,000 concrete guideway segments needed to build the SkyTrain extension between Surrey and Langley.

The Surrey-Langley SkyTrain (SLS) line is designed to improve mobility across the region and help reduce traffic congestion and the number of automobiles on the road, among other sustainability-related goals. SkyLink was selected through the B.C. government’s procurement process as the lead contractor for the guideway construction.

“Surrey city council is working to get the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension project built as quickly as possible,” said Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke in a news release. “This pre-cast yard lease agreement will enable the province to speed up work on this critical project.

“Additionally, once operational, the pre-cast yard will provide roughly 350 jobs in the Campbell Heights area. The SLS project isn’t merely a long-awaited transportation link; it’s a transformative investment in our future that will enhance mobility, reduce travel times, and propel Surrey’s economic growth.”

The lease will span 33 months, with an option to extend for an additional 36 months, allowing Skylink ample time to complete preparations, manufacturing, and staging for construction, said the city in a news release. The yard’s setup will include a pre-engineered steel building, concrete batch plant, storage areas, and office space, along with areas designated for staging, all to support the efficient assembly and storage of the SkyTrain segments.

SkyLink has already begun preparing the site with grading and earthworks, following the issuance of a temporary-use permit. The lease is expected to begin on January 1, 2025.

The long-awaited SLS extension is expected to address the needs of a rapidly growing population and support the region’s economic development. The SLS will extend the Expo Line that currently runs between Surrey and the downtown Vancouver waterfront.

SkyLink is an international consortium that comprises Dragados Canada; Ledcor Investments; Ledcor Mining and SYSTRA International Bridge Technologies.

Photo: City of Surrey