Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project

The Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project comprises highway improvements for an existing transportation corridor extending between Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver and Function Junction, near Whistler, BC. New highway and structure works improvements occur on sections totaling approximately 65 km of the 95 km corridor.

The design-build scope of work covers a variety of civil works including: new highway sections; widening, realignment and repaving of existing sections; replacement and upgrade of existing bridges; addition of new bridges and downslope structures; drainage works and utilities; local lighting and traffic signals; environmental impact mitigation measures; landscaping and site restoration; and associated works including soil and rock excavation, backfilling, retaining walls and rock slope stabilization.

HMM was the designer for the design-build contractor (Peter Kiewit Infrastructure Co.), responsible for the management of all design work, and for detailed design of specific sections of the project.

Project Highlights:

• A British Columbia Ministry of Transportation design-build-finance-operate (DBFO) project with the concessionaire established by Macquarie Group, one of the world’s largest private road developers, under a 25-year concession agreement to design, build, finance, operate, maintain and rehabilitate the highway.


• This $600 million (CDN) project links communities from West Vancouver to Whistler through mountainous terrain.


• Construction completed prior to the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler.


• HMM led a team of 12 design consultants which involved approximately 100 people to complete the design of over 65 kilometres of new highway improvements including 40 bridge structures.


• Significant improvements to the highway include: an 80 km/hr design speed throughout most sections; four-lane divided highway through majority of the West Vancouver to Squamish sections; dedicated, separate exits for local and ferry traffic at Horseshoe Bay; additional passing lanes between Squamish and Whistler; and many safety enhancements such as high reflective pavement markings, signal improvements and rumble strips.