See below the response from the City of Surrey regarding the ongoing dialogue on the widening of 160th Street. Thanks to everyone who signed the petition and/or sent in the separate feedback form to the city. As soon as I get any information on any future public hearings, I will let you know and encourage everyone to attend and be heard. Hopefully, our collective voices will ensure the City is listening to us and any design changes are in keeping with the needs of our community. Thanks
Roger Morin – Strata President
***************************************************
Hello,
Thank you for participating in the City’s engagement activities related to the 160 Street Widening and Improvements Project: 26 Avenue to 32 Avenue. It’s our intention to have purposeful dialogue with residents to help us gather information on decisions that affects or interests you. The goal of our engagement process is to present participants with opportunities to learn about Surrey projects, contribute feedback, inform decision-making and be informed of the outcomes.
The Public Information Meeting held on September 25, 2018at Sunnyside Elementary gave staff an opportunity to consult the neighbouring community on items identified in the draft project design for the purpose of receiving input and feedback. This helps our project team identify the project’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as any unintended impacts.
Not only was the meeting well attended, but many residents took the opportunity in the subsequent days to provide input through the feedback form available on the project webpageand by emailing the City directly. The period to provide comments remained open through Friday, October 9th. At this time, we would like to provide you with a brief update and overview of the collective public input received.
What we heard.
· Significant agreement to widening 160 Street to address traffic congestion.
· Overwhelming support for the addition of sidewalks and LED street lighting, and some support for separated cycle tracks on 160 Street. Residents cited the benefits of safety, comfort and connectivity.
· Strong support for the implementation of a new full movement traffic signal at Mountain View Drive/30 Avenue and for new left turn bays at both 28 Avenue and 30 Avenue/Mountain View Drive.
· Support for left turn in movements to residences, but significant opposition to left turn out restrictions.
Questions raised.
· Why is it necessary to provide median separation and multi-modal improvements on 160 Street?
· Why isn’t access from 160 Street being provided to the development proposal north of Hearthstone?
· How will you solve parking issues for residents and visitors to the area’s strata developments?
· What can be done to remove the proposed left out access restrictions?
Opportunities for change.
· Eliminating the median or providing U-turn facilities due to the proposed left turn out access restrictions that impact the BLU, Prima, and Wills Creek strata complexes.
· Providing an advanced left turn arrow for northbound left turns at 32 Avenue.
· Providing on-street parking on 160 Street.
· Extending the left turn bays at 28 Avenue to accommodate Sunnyside Heights Elementary School traffic.
What are our next steps?
Now we will consider all input in light of the neighbourhood’s current block spacing, riparian protection areas and our goals for safe mobility. In particular, we will be evaluating alternatives to address the concerns raised for the proposed left turn out access restrictions and the resulting lengthy and circuitous travel alternatives in the draft design. At this time, we can confirm that the addition of an advanced left turn arrow phase for the northbound left turn signal at 32 Avenue will be reflected in the updated project designs.
We appreciate the thoughtful approach, and time, several participants took to provide additional considerations, and even recommended solutions, to the challenges presented. The project team intends to provide a more fulsome response to the questions posed and address the opportunities for change through revised project designs by the end of October. These will be posted to the project webpageand you will be notified.
If you have any further questions or comments on the project please email Goran Corda, copied in on the email.
Thanks again for taking the time to provide your feedback on the 160 Street Widening project.
DOUGLAS McLEOD, B.Eng., P.Eng.
Transportation Planning Manager
Acting, Transportation Infrastructure Manager
CITY OF SURREY
Engineering Department – Transportation Division
13450 – 104 Ave, Surrey, BC, Canada V3T 1V8
T 604.591.4553 | F 604.591.8693 |www.surrey.ca