If you notice nighttime noise around two New West SkyTrain stations in December and beyond, here’s why.

City council has granted an exemption to the city’s construction noise bylaw to TransLink, so it can replace the rail pads and running rails on the SkyTrain guideway between the 22nd Street and New Westminster stations. A staff report states that when possible, noisy work will be done during daytime hours (some of it off-site), but some work can’t be done during the city’s permitted construction hours due to impacts on customers.

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“The nighttime work will be conducted Sunday through Thursday nights for approximately 100 nights on an intermittent basis in various sections along the tracks between the 22nd Street station and the New Westminster station,” said the report. “On infrequent occasions, additional work days may be added to hasten the process.”

TransLink’s contractor will also take steps to try and mitigate the noise related to the work. Letters will be send to residents who will be impacted by the work to inform them of upcoming work.

The exemption approved by council will allow the work to be done from Dec. 2 to 24, 2019 and from Jan. 2 to Dec. 24, 2020. A staff report states TransLink has requested a year-long exemption because projects of this magnitude often have unforeseen delays.

“TransLink maintains and operates the original Expo SkyTrain line, which has been in service since 1986 carrying more than two million trains. Beginning in December 2019 and projected to continue to June 2022, TransLink is replacing worn running rails and rail pads throughout the Expo line in New Westminster,” said the staff report. “As part of the TransLink maintenance and repairs program, these improvements will ensure the Expo line is safe and reliable for years to come.”

These exemptions are related to work to be done as part of Phase 1, with Phase 2 expected to take place between January 2021 and January 2022.