LANGLEY, B.C. – Construction of the Dave Barrett Extension is moving into another significant phase this week as the “Langley Launcher” gantry arrives in Langley to continue building the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain guideway.
The guideway contract for the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain Project has an awarded value of $4.01 billion. Project data was reported as of September 22, 2026, with the work classified under public state/provincial transportation terminals in Surrey, B.C.
Construction activity will also continue in Surrey, where the “Surrey Sprinter” gantry is scheduled to begin work at Green Timbers Station in the coming weeks.
“The Langley Launcher’s arrival in Langley, together with the upcoming deployment of the Surrey Sprinter, is an exciting sign of the substantial progress being made on the Dave Barrett Extension,” B.C. Minister of Transportation and Transit Mike Farnworth said in a statement.
“With guideway construction steadily advancing, we’re maintaining strong momentum on this key transit project that will benefit people and communities south of the Fraser for years to come.”
Launching gantries are specialized machines designed specifically for guideway construction on SkyTrain projects. Each machine stretches more than 100 metres and weighs more than 440 tonnes.
The Langley Launcher has already constructed approximately three kilometres of the Dave Barrett Extension guideway, starting at the Hillcrest-184 Street Station. Beginning this week, the gantry will move on to construction over Willowbrook Drive before progressing toward the Willowbrook Station site.
Meanwhile, the Surrey Sprinter is expected to arrive at Green Timbers Station in the coming weeks and will continue guideway construction west of the station this fall.
Another gantry, the “Fleetwood Flyer,” is expected to complete approximately three kilometres of guideway in October.
The 16-kilometre Dave Barrett Extension will require the installation of more than 4,400 precast concrete guideway segments. The segments are being manufactured in Surrey and weigh approximately 28 tonnes each.
Guideway construction is now approximately 65 per cent complete, while foundation piles and columns supporting the guideway are more than 95 per cent complete.
The extension is expected to create approximately 26,700 direct and indirect jobs over the life of the project and is anticipated to open in 2029.
Once operational, the Dave Barrett Extension will function as an extension of the Expo Line. The project takes its name from Dave Barrett, the former B.C. premier who served from 1972 to 1975.
Construction is also well underway on the project’s eight stations.
Upon completion of the extension, the journey from Langley City Centre to King George Station is expected to take 22 minutes, more than 25 minutes faster than the current bus route.
