Every day the landscape changes around the Port Mann/Highway 1 construction project. Here is what is going on in the Tri-Cities (from east to west):

• Mary Hill Bypass: Soil stabilizing works are taking place, with two-foot stone slabs being pounded in the soil on both sides of the highway near the existing bridge. A new intersection will be established east of Leeder Avenue to draw traffic away from the work and allow for construction of a new bridge abutment, and improve existing overpasses and intersections in the area. The detour opened Tuesday.

• Lougheed Highway: The Cape Horn bluff has been cut away for a new retaining wall and Lougheed Highway will be re-directed north to provide more room for highway expansion and a new interchange. Soil nails are being punched into the bluff, which will be covered with shotcrete and then concrete, to stabilize the slope.

As well, the westbound shoulder lane between United Boulevard and the Port Mann Bridge exits will be closed as needed between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. for six to eight weeks for the PMH1 Mundy Creek fish enhancement project.

• Maquabeak Park: A temporary trestle is being built so machinery and bridge materials can be transported to the work site for the new bridge. This is more efficient than barging and the trestle will be high enough to permit boat traffic.

• Planet Ice: Pre-construction is taking place for the new Cape Horn interchange, which will provide safer, more direct connections between the bridge, the expanded five-lane highway and the Tri-Cities.

• Schoolhouse Street: Popeye creek is being diverted and new fish habitat installed as part of environmental remediation work.

• CP Rail overpass at Cape Horn: Pile driving and hammering is taking place and a crane will soon be on site for the project, which will see a five-lane overpass built by 2012.

• Port Mann: The new bridge will be built immediately down-river from the existing bridge and will be connected to the existing abutments. The bridge deck will be made from pre-cast concrete and will hang by cables from two towers.

Eight lanes of the 10-lane bridge are expected to be complete and ready for traffic late in 2012, with the remaining bridge works completed in 2013.

Once the new bridge is complete, the existing Port Mann bridge will be demolished.

dstrandberg@tricitynews.com