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Port Coquitlam · Burke Mountain · Updated October 7, 2026

The Fremont Connector: the route, the timeline, and where it actually stands in 2026.

A new two-lane road from the east end of Victoria Drive down Devon Road, Prairie Avenue and Burns Road to the existing Fremont Connector at Dominion Avenue — a second way off Burke Mountain that has been on the map for decades. The design was finished in 2021. Here is what’s planned, why there’s still no shovel in the ground, and what it means if you own or are buying on Burke Mountain or in north PoCo.

By Craig Johnston, REALTOR® V99960 Royal LePage Elite West
5.0 across 35+ Google reviews 47+ years in the Tri-Cities

Quick answer

The one-minute version.

What

A two-lane arterial road with a multi-use path for walking and cycling

Route

Victoria Dr → Fremont St → Lincoln → Devon → Prairie → Burns → Dominion

Status

Preliminary design done (2021). Funding agreement still being worked out.

Construction

No date. The original 2024/2025 start came and went.

The honest read: the route is settled and both cities want it built. What’s missing is money and a schedule. Until those are announced, treat the Fremont Connector as a long-term plan — not something to price into a home today.

Status from the City of Coquitlam — Fremont Connector Project →

Why it exists

A second way down

Burke Mountain traffic funnels onto Coast Meridian Road and Cedar Drive. The connector adds a third north–south route on the east side, toward the Pitt River.

What it connects

Straight to the highways

Through the existing Fremont Connector to Lougheed Highway, the Pitt River Bridge and the Mary Hill Bypass toward Highway 1.

What it cost (2021)

$25–30 million

Port Coquitlam’s 2021 estimate, including land, intersections and the path. No updated figure has been published.

What’s holding it up

Funding

The cities planned to seek provincial and federal grants. Coquitlam says details will follow once the funding agreement is finalized.

What the Fremont Connector is — and the part that already exists.

If you’ve driven from the Mary Hill Bypass up to Dominion Avenue, you’ve already been on the Fremont Connector. The southern section is built: it runs north from Lougheed Highway and the Mary Hill Bypass to Dominion Avenue. What people mean when they talk about “the Fremont Connector” today is the extension north — the missing link up to northeast Coquitlam.

That extension has been in both cities’ official community plans and transportation plans for a very long time. Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West put it plainly when the route was agreed in December 2021: “The Fremont Connector has been considered for decades.” Port Coquitlam council chose Devon Road for its section back in 2015.

The preliminary design the two cities signed off on calls for:

On length, the sources don’t quite agree. The cities’ 2021 announcement called it a 4.7-kilometre arterial road; Coquitlam’s current project page describes a 3.5-kilometre extension. Either way, it is roughly the distance from Victoria Drive to Dominion Avenue along the eastern edge of the two cities.

The route has been settled since 2021. What hasn’t been settled is who pays, and when.

The route, segment by segment.

Map of the Fremont Connector route from Victoria Avenue south past Lincoln Avenue, along Devon Road and Prairie Avenue, then down Burns Road to Dominion Avenue and the existing Fremont Connector, beside the Pitt River
Fremont Connector project location (shown in dark grey). Map: City of Coquitlam / City of Port Coquitlam project materials.

1. Victoria Drive to Lincoln Avenue (Coquitlam)

The road starts at the east end of Victoria Drive and runs south along the existing Fremont Street road allowance — land already set aside for a road — to Lincoln Avenue. This is the piece that gives east Burke Mountain, including the Partington Creek area, a direct route south. Coquitlam’s engineering staff said in 2021 that Lincoln Avenue and the Deboville Slough crossing would be widened as part of the work.

2. Lincoln Avenue to Prairie Avenue via Devon Road (Port Coquitlam)

From Lincoln, the route jogs east and follows the existing Devon Road south to Prairie Avenue. Port Coquitlam council’s feedback on its 2024 Master Transportation Plan flagged one design detail here: the Lincoln/Devon intersection needs to accommodate turning trailers — a reminder that this is working farmland, not a subdivision.

3. Prairie Avenue to Dominion Avenue via Burns Road (Port Coquitlam)

A short stretch along Prairie Avenue takes the route to Burns Road, which runs straight south to Dominion Avenue and meets the completed Fremont Connector. From there it’s a short drive to Lougheed Highway, the Pitt River Bridge and the Mary Hill Bypass.

Two things about this land that shape the project

The timeline: what was promised, and what happened.

The clearest way to understand where the Fremont Connector stands is to put the dates side by side.

In other words: the 2024/2025 construction start was missed, and nothing has replaced it yet. That isn’t unusual for a regional road that depends on grants from two other levels of government — but it means anyone telling you the road is “coming soon” is guessing.

Watch for two things: a signed funding agreement between the cities, and a grant announcement. Those are what turn a planned road into a scheduled one.

Why it matters: the traffic numbers.

Burke Mountain is still growing. Coquitlam expects it to reach about 50,000 residents at full build-out — including about 15,000 in Partington Creek — and almost all of them leave the mountain by the same two roads: Coast Meridian Road and Cedar Drive.

17,868

Vehicles a day on Coast Meridian

Between Victoria and Greenmount, in Port Coquitlam’s 2022 count — up 34% since 2016.

+56%

On the existing Fremont Connector

Between Seaborne and Nicola, from the 2018 count to the 2022 count.

8–12K

Projected daily trips by 2050

Coquitlam’s 2021 projection for the new road north of Lincoln Avenue.

2

Travel lanes

Down from four in earlier concepts, plus a multi-use path for walking and cycling.

Both cities say the connector is meant to take pressure off Coast Meridian Road, Prairie Avenue and Cedar Drive. For drivers on the east side of Burke Mountain heading to the Pitt River Bridge, Maple Ridge or Highway 1 via the Mary Hill Bypass, it would be a more direct line than cutting west through Port Coquitlam.

For cyclists and walkers

The multi-use path may matter as much as the road. HUB Cycling’s Tri-Cities committee said in 2021 it would be “the first fully-protected north-south bike route in Port Coquitlam that isn’t a trail.” HUB also raised fair concerns: the blind corner near Victoria Avenue and Cedar Drive, the need for lighting to make the path usable year-round, and the risk of a “bike lane to nowhere” if the south end on Dominion Avenue only offers a painted line.

What it means if you own or are buying here.

I live on Burke Mountain, and I get asked about this road a lot. My answer is the same every time: it’s a real plan with a settled route, and it’s not funded. Make decisions on what exists today.

East Burke Mountain owners and buyers

If you live or are buying toward the eastern side of the mountain, the connector is the project that would most change your commute toward the Pitt River Bridge and Highway 1. It’s a genuine long-term positive. It’s also a reason not to overpay for “future access” — nobody can tell you when it opens. My west vs. east Burke Mountain guide covers how access differs across the mountain today.

Homes and acreages along Devon, Prairie and Burns

If you own on the route, the connector cuts both ways. A quiet rural road becomes an arterial: more traffic, more noise, intersection changes and possibly land acquisition along the frontage — the 2021 cost estimate explicitly included land. If you’re buying on one of these roads, ask the City directly whether the property is affected by the planned road widths, and read the title for any road dedications before your subjects come off.

North Port Coquitlam neighbourhoods

For established neighbourhoods west of Fremont Street, the main effect would be indirect: fewer Burke Mountain commuters on Coast Meridian and Prairie, if the road performs as planned. That’s a quality-of-life benefit, not something to put a dollar figure on.

What I won’t do is tell you the connector will add a specific amount to anyone’s home value. No one can support that number, and B.C. real estate rules don’t allow a REALTOR® to promise one. What I can do is show you how comparable homes with easier and harder access have actually sold — using sales that are accurate comparables, not guesses.

Buying near the route? Check these first.

The City of Coquitlam takes questions at fremont@coquitlam.ca.

Fremont Connector FAQ

What is the Fremont Connector?
The Fremont Connector is a planned two-lane arterial road with an adjacent multi-use path for walking and cycling, linking northeast Coquitlam (Burke Mountain) with north Port Coquitlam. It extends the existing Fremont Connector, which already runs from Lougheed Highway and the Mary Hill Bypass up to Dominion Avenue, north to the east end of Victoria Drive. It has been in both cities' official community plans and transportation plans for decades.
What is the Fremont Connector route?
The alignment the two cities agreed in December 2021 starts at the east end of Victoria Drive in Coquitlam, follows the existing Fremont Street road allowance south to Lincoln Avenue, then uses the existing Devon Road, Prairie Avenue and Burns Road in Port Coquitlam to reach Dominion Avenue and the completed southern section of the Fremont Connector.
When will the Fremont Connector be built?
There is no construction date. When the alignment was announced in December 2021, construction was expected to start in 2024/2025. That did not happen. As of October 2026, the City of Coquitlam's project page says the two cities are working on a funding agreement and that timeline details will be provided once it is finalized.
How much will the Fremont Connector cost?
No current cost has been published. In December 2021, Port Coquitlam's chief administrative officer estimated $25 million to $30 million, including land acquisition, intersection improvements and the multi-use path. That is a 2021 estimate in 2021 dollars, and construction costs have risen since.
How long is the Fremont Connector?
The cities' December 2021 announcement described a 4.7-kilometre arterial road. The City of Coquitlam's current project page describes a 3.5-kilometre arterial road extension. The difference appears to be how much of the route is counted as new or rebuilt road versus existing road, but the City has not explained it, so confirm with the City if the exact figure matters to you.
Will the Fremont Connector be four lanes?
No. The road was narrowed from four lanes to two during planning. The preliminary design is one travel lane in each direction, intersection improvements such as turning lanes, and a multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists.
Will the Fremont Connector reduce traffic on Coast Meridian Road?
That is its stated purpose. Both cities say it is meant to ease traffic on Coast Meridian Road, Prairie Avenue and Cedar Drive, which today are the main north-south routes off Burke Mountain. Port Coquitlam's 2022 traffic count found about 17,868 vehicles a day on Coast Meridian between Victoria and Greenmount, up 34% since 2016. Coquitlam projected 8,000 to 12,000 vehicles a day on the new road north of Lincoln Avenue by 2050.
Will the Fremont Connector affect home values on Burke Mountain or in north Port Coquitlam?
No one can say with confidence, and a REALTOR® shouldn't promise that it will. Better access to Lougheed Highway, the Pitt River Bridge and the Mary Hill Bypass is a real long-term benefit for east Burke Mountain, while homes directly on Devon Road, Prairie Avenue or Burns Road would see more traffic. Until the road is funded and scheduled, price a home on what exists today, not on a road that hasn't been built.

Sources & methodology

Route, design and current status are from the City of Coquitlam’s Fremont Connector Project page (read October 7, 2026) and the cities’ joint December 16, 2021 announcement. The cost estimate, lane change, 2050 traffic projection, floodplain and Agricultural Land Commission details are from the Tri-City News (December 2021); the 2021 timeline and HUB Cycling comments from Tri-Cities Dispatch (December 2021) and Daily Hive (December 2021); traffic counts from Tri-Cities Dispatch (January 2024); Master Transportation Plan feedback from Port Coquitlam’s July 2, 2024 Committee of Council report; and the 2025 campaign pledge from the Conservative Party of Canada (April 18, 2025). The route map is from the cities’ project materials. Project details and timelines can change — confirm current status with the City of Coquitlam or Port Coquitlam. This article is general information, not legal, planning or financial advice.

Keep exploring Burke Mountain and Port Coquitlam.

The pages below go deeper on the places this road connects.

Weighing a home near the route? Let’s look at it together.

Whether you own on Burke Mountain or in north Port Coquitlam and want to know where your home stands, or you’re buying and want an honest read on access and traffic — let’s have a 20-minute call.

Craig Johnston, REALTOR® V99960 · Royal LePage Elite West · 604-202-6092

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Craig Johnston, REALTOR® — 47+ year Tri-Cities resident, 9+ year Burke Mountain resident

About the author

Craig Johnston, REALTOR®

9+ year Burke Mountain resident and 47+ year Tri-Cities native, with Royal LePage Elite West. BC Real Estate License V99960, regulated by the BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA).

Specializes in Coquitlam, Burke Mountain, Westwood Plateau, Heritage Mountain, Port Moody, Anmore acreage, and Belcarra Indian Arm waterfront. Move-up family representation, first-time buyer guidance, $2M+ luxury, off-market network access.

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