The 26 km (16 mi) long Highway 7A largely followed a parallel route alongside the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Once Hastings Street terminates the road narrows from 6 lanes to four, and the speed limit is upped from 50 to 80 km/h (from 31 to 50 mph).

Dewdney Trunk road was once the principal route for traffic north of the Fraser and Hastings Street had been established early on in the history of Vancouver and Burnaby as municipalities.

[9] In 1959, a study conducted by the Technical Committee for Metropolitan Highway Planning suggested the building of a series freeways throughout Vancouver.

Using the concept of HOV lanes as a means to lessen single occupancy vehicle use and reduce said congestion, the province began to design the Barnet/Hastings People-Mover Project.

However, it was ultimately decided that Hastings would be widened to six lanes and the Barnet highway be finally upgraded into a four-lane facility.

The improvement also saw the addition of an HOV lane going westbound on St. Johns Street and Clarke St. in Port Moody.