The Fraser Valley’s most dangerous intersections

The latest ICBC crash data confirms what commuters likely already suspected: Highway 1 in Langley is the worst intersection in the valley for collisions. It also confirmed what commuters likely didn’t expect: the second-highest crash site was in Mission.

In 2021, Highway 1 at 264 Street recorded the most number of crashes of any location in the Fraser Valley, according to ICBC statistics.

That location also holds the overall title for worst collision site in the region. In the last five years, more than 1,000 crashes have been recorded on that stretch of road—greater than any other area in the valley.

Roughly 80,000 vehicles move between Abbotsford and Langley each day.

The province told The Current it hopes widening the highway and improving overpasses and interchanges will reduce the number of collisions.

Construction hasn’t yet started on plans to widen Highway 1 between the 264 Street Interchange and Whatcom Road in Abbotsford. That proposed project will include upgrades to the 264 Street Interchange and highway access. The existing overpass was built in 1963 and hasn’t been upgraded since. It includes very short merge lanes. The ministry was not able to confirm when the on/off ramps were built, but it’s likely they would have been constructed shortly after the completion of the interchange.

A new interchange at 216 Street was completed in 2020, and major work on the next phase, widening the highway between the 216 Street and 264 Street interchanges, is set to begin in the fall.

Overpass clearance has been an increasing issue. Last month, BC’s transportation ministry revealed there had been eight overpass collisions in the past 12 months after a truck failed to clear the Glover Road overpass.

A separate collision in June damaged the 232 Street overpass. It was reported that repairs would cost $1 million and not be completed until the spring.

Two of the valley’s crash sites topped the Lower Mainland’s top 10 list. Langley’s 264 Street at Highway 1 was the Lower Mainland’s top crash intersection in 2021. Abbotsford’s Lonzo Road and Sumas Way came in at number seven.

ABBOTSFORD

The most dangerous crossing for crashes in Abbotsford last year was in the eastern part of the city. Lonzo Road and Sumas Way, including the highway on/off ramp and turning lane, was the location of 136 crashes. That area has been the most problematic over the last five years, with 731 crashes occurring at the junction.

MISSION

Mission’s worst crash location was not far behind Abbotsford. The junction of Highways 11 and 7 was the site of 130 crashes last year. That’s more than five times as many collisions than the second-worst location in the city: 7th Avenue and Cedar Street. The busy highway intersection has consistently remained Mission’s number one spot for impact in the past five years, recording a total of 614 collisions during that time. Despite this location almost certainly having far less traffic than other highway junctions, it is the second-highest crash site in the region.

CHILLIWACK

The roundabout junction at Evans Road and Yale Road was the site of the greatest number of crashes in Chilliwack last year. That area saw 79 collisions. But, over the last five years that roundabout was the second-worst collision site, not the first. The most problematic junction in the last five years was Luckakuck Way and Vedder Road. In total, this intersection recorded 357 crashes in the last five years, while the roundabout was the site of 341 collisions.

To view the Lower Mainland’s crash data from the last five years, click here.