Why have trees been removed along Highway 1 in Burnaby?

If you’ve driven down Highway 1 in Burnaby recently, you may have noticed it looks a little more bare than usual.

Trees and brush have been removed along both sides of the highway across a large portion of Burnaby, including from the Willingdon Avenue exit through to the area around Burnaby Lake.

The highway is maintained by the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

“Safety for road users is our top priority, and the ministry is currently performing some safety-related tree and brush removal along Highway 1 between Willingdon Ave and the Burnaby Lake area,” the ministry told the Beacon in an emailed statement.

“We are removing trees and brush that create shaded areas and contribute to ice build up on the highway.”

A copy of the province’s highway maintenance specifications from 2018-2019 notes that brush, tree, and “danger tree” removal takes place when trees or brush cause “sight distance obstructions or impede drainage or create shaded areas on the road surface or when the maximum height above the travelled lanes are reached.”

The specifications note that partial or complete tree and brush removal should happen annually within a five-metre perimeter of structures on the highway.