River and Rail Access
Maple Ridge is close to major ports on the Fraser River
The Fraser River is the southern boundary of Maple Ridge; the mouth of the Fraser and the first 100 km of shoreline along the main arm of the river lie under the jurisdiction of the Fraser River Port Authority. The Port provides a full range of services at terminals that handle both container and break bulk cargo; it boasts the largest auto port in Canada and offers integrated services for the coastal forest industry and short sea shipping. Fraser Port is the fourth largest container port in Canada, and has infrastructure and port facilities in Surrey, Annacis Island and Richmond. It also connects to an intermodal network of railways, airports and highways that branch throughout North America. This includes the CPR intermodal rail facility in nearby Pitt Meadows, where a future port terminal may be considered.
The Albion Ferry service is presently part of Translink's major road network because it functions as an important vehicular travel corridor across the Fraser River. Two vehicle ferries offer free, frequent service from Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows on the north side of the Fraser River to Langley and Surrey on the south side. This service will be terminated with the opening of the Golden Ears Bridge in 2009.
Maple Ridge is on a major railway line
The CPR mainline extends east-west through the southern portion of Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge, paralleling the Fraser River. This dual-track facility accommodates an average of 25 trains per day. In 1999, CPR opened a 42.5-hectare (105-acre) domestic intermodal facility in Pitt Meadows, with a throughput capacity of 120,000 containers and trailers. Its close proximity to Maple Ridge gives companies locating in our community ready access to intermodal rail container cargo service to both domestic and international destinations.