16 Avenue Corridor Study:Online Open House PresentationJuly 2015

Study Partners:

Welcome!

Thank you for visiting thisonline Open House!

This presentation outlines the16th Avenue corridor studythrough Surrey, Langley and Abbotsford.

The study area extends 29 km from Highway 99 in SouthSurrey to Marshall Road in Abbotsford.

2

Partner and StakeholderConsultation

The Study Partners include: TransLink (project facilitators) City of Surrey Township of Langley City of Abbotsford Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC) BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (BC MoTI)

Stakeholders consulted include: The Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) The Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce The Surrey Board of Trade The Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce The Abbotsford International Airport Metro Vancouver Parks Department

3

Why Study the 16 Ave Corridor?

It is an important east - west road on theMajor Road Network (MRN) linking WhiteRock, Surrey, Langley, and Abbotsford. The MRN facilitates intra-regional transportation; connects regional

town centres; provides safe, reliable, and efficient movement ofpeople and goods; and supports regional land use objectives

Evidence suggests that the corridor has a history of safety andtraffic operations issues.

Since the corridor passes through the ALR it is used by farmvehicles.

Slow moving vehicles and limited passing opportunities canincrease travel time and create driver frustration.

Speeding is reportedly a problem. Variability in provision of cycling and pedestrian and facilities. 4

Study Objectives

Determine the function of the corridor,based on analysis of the current andfuture conditions.

Determine short-, medium-, and longer-term improvementsfor the corridor to address identified deficiencies.

Analysis of the corridor included: Capacity analysis Safety assessment Land use assessment Review of Official Community Plans and policy Traffic forecasting to 2031 Municipal staff and stakeholder consultation

5

Study Approach

Assessment covered 3 time horizons:

Current conditions assessment to determine short-termimprovements - 0 to 5 years.

Medium-term assessment to determine medium-termimprovements - 6 to 15 years. Assumes that “King Road Connector” (an extension of King Road/ 16 Avenue

from Bradner Road to Marshall Road in Abbotsford) will be constructed

Longer-term assessment to determine potential alternatives -beyond 15 years.

6

CurrentConditions Assessment

Current Function of the Corridor

Links Provincial Highways 99, 15,and 13.

Provides connections to three border crossings: PeaceArch, Pacific Highway, and Aldergrove.

Part of TransLink’s Major Road Network (MRN) withinSurrey and Langley.

Designated Truck Route. Besides 0 Avenue, 16 Avenue is the only continuous east-

west corridor south of Highway 1 and Highway 10/FraserHighway.

Provides access to farm lands.8

Current Conditions Along the Corridor

Primarily a straight, 2-lane rural roadway with a posted speed of 60 km/h. Several residential and farm driveways have direct access onto the

corridor. Number of intersections limits passing opportunities. Inconsistent and discontinuous pedestrian and cycling facilities. 13% to 16% truck traffic along the corridor, with limited passing

opportunities (average arterial typically carries 5% to 10% trucks). 9

Current Land Use Designations Along the Corridor

10

Much of the corridor is within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), which has limited development potential.

Some suburban residential and industrial designations.

Surrey: 6.5 km

Current Land Use Designations Along the Corridor

11

Langley: 16 km

Abbotsford: 2.8 km

Gravel pit operations in Abbotsford will continue in future.

Current Safety Assessment

Speeding is an issue: surveys show speeds of 80 km/h through Langley, versus posted speed of 60 km/h.

673 collisions recorded over 5 years (2008 to 2012) by ICBC 3 high priority collision intersections were identified: 176 St (since

upgraded), 240 St, and 248 St (since signalized).

12

Current Corridor Issues and Constraints

Traffic Operations: Significant truck traffic. Few passing opportunities and no passing

lanes. Sufficient road capacity for current traffic levels.Safety: No pullout locations limits RCMP law enforcement. Intersection spacing and right of way limitations prevent the addition of

passing lanes. Number of driveways increase turning movements along the corridor.Land Use – Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR): Slow moving farm vehicles move between farms. Need to reduce ALR impacts limits improvement options.

13

Short-Term Improvements:(0 to 5 Years)

Recommended Short-Term ImprovementsScenario 1 – 0 to 5 Years

15

Issue Recommended Improvements

Safety at 240 Street intersection. Brush clearing to improve sight lines and visibility.Erect additional signs and lighting.

High speeds and limited speed enforcement.

Construct RCMP pullouts along the corridor (exact locations to be determined in later design stages) to enable speed enforcement.Erect more speed limit signs.Erect radar speed warning signs.

Unsafe passing of slow moving farm vehicles along the corridor.

Construct slow-moving vehicle pullouts for farm vehicles (exact locations to be determined in later design stages) to reduce the riskof head-on collisions and improve travel times along the corridor.

High number of intersections and driveways increases turning movements and reduces safety.

Consider establishing a policy to reduce the number of driveways along the corridor over time, in consultation with property owners.Erect more intersection warning signs and improve pavement markings and lighting.

Safety through Campbell Valley Park (between 200 and 208 Street.

Consolidate and realign adjacent driveways to reduce conflicting turn movements.

Animal related collisions. Erect wildlife fencing where feasible.

RCMP Pullouts (typical)

16

* 4 pullouts (2 per direction) proposed - exact locations to be determined based on accurate land mapping and property owner consultation.

Slow Moving Vehicle Pullouts (typical)

17

* 8 pullouts (4 per direction) proposed - exact locations to be determined based on accurate land mapping and property owner consultation.

Medium-Term Assessment:(6 to 15 Years)

What Will the Corridor Look Like in 15 Years Time?

Land Use Changes by 2031: Average municipal population and employment growth

of 33% and 37%. Limited development expected along the corridor. City of Surrey: continued development of the Campbell Heights Industrial Park

and future development along north side of 16 Avenue west of 176 Street. Township of Langley: no changes expected in the agricultural land use along

the corridor. City of Abbotsford: no changes expected in the agricultural land use along the

corridor. Future industrial land development around the airport.

Road Network Changes expected by 2031: 16 Avenue will be widened to 4-lanes west of 176 Street to accommodate future

development on the north side. The King Road Connector between Bradner Road and Peardonville

Road/Marshall Road will be constructed in the next 5 to 10 years.

19

Future Traffic Forecasts

Corridor traffic will grow as populationand employment increase.

With the King Road Connector, additional traffic will use the corridor due to the improved connectivity in Abbotsford.

The existing 2-lane corridor has sufficient capacity to meet the forecast 2031 traffic demand.

Traffic on the intersecting roads will increase, warranting intersection upgrades at some locations.

20

Medium-term Improvements:(6 to 15 Years)

Recommended Medium-Term Improvements:6 to 15 Years

22

Issue Recommended Improvements

Slow-moving vehicles increases travel times and increases the risk of unsafe passing.High number of driveways increases turning movements and reduces safety.

Introduce Two-Way-Left-Turn-Lanes (TWLTL) in sections with the most driveways:• 184 Street to 192 Street• 192 Street to 200 Street• 240 Street to 248 StreetConsider a policy to reduce the number of driveways along the corridor over time, in consultation with property owners.

Side road intersection delays due to increase in side road traffic.

To reduce delays, upgrade and signalize intersections at:• 208 Street• 232 Street• 272 Street• Lefeuvre Road• Bradner Road

Animal related collisions. Erect additional wildlife fencing where feasible.

Two-Way-Left-Turn Lanes (TWLTL) (typical)

Source: Google Earth Street View, © Google 2014

23

Example: 32 Avenue, Surrey

Designed to prevent use as a passing lane. Provides a lane to separate left turning traffic from through traffic. Allows farm vehicles to easily move between farms

Longer-Term Alternative –(15+ years)

What Might the Longer-term,Alternative Corridor Look Like?

4-lanes (2 lanes in each direction). A posted speed of 70 km/h. A centre median barrier west of 176 Street. A Two-Way-Left-Turn-Lane (TWLTL) east of 176 Street (to preserve

agricultural activity).

Note: several alternatives to the TWLTL were considered, but rejected owing to negative impacts on agricultural activity: Centre median barrier with roundabouts at intersections Frontage roads Back access and side road access

25

4-Lane Cross Sections (typical)

26

4-Lane Corridor Assessment

2031 Traffic forecast: Traffic diverts to 16 Avenue from other routes in the region (Hwy 1,

Fraser Hwy, 8 Ave). Trips extend from as far as Chilliwack, with additional trips from

Abbotsford.

Improvements required with 4 laning:

27

Issue Recommended ImprovementsSafety through Campbell Valley Park (between 200 and 208 Street).

Straighten road alignment (if feasible to avoid burial site).

Side road delays at intersections. To reduce delays, upgrade and signalize intersections at:• 224 Street• 240 Street

Potential speeding. Retain RCMP pullouts to enable speed enforcement.

High number of driveways increases turning movements and reduces safety.

Continue with a policy to reduce the number of driveways along the corridor over time, in consultation with property owners.

Cost Estimates

Order of Magnitude Cost Estimates (+/- 30%)

29

Assessment Period

In Surrey(6.5 km)

In Langley(16 km)

In Ab’ford(2.8 km: 2-lane; 7

km: 4-lane)

Total Estimate

Short-term 2-Lane

$1 million $3 million $0.2 million $4.2 million

Medium-term 2-Lane

$18.5 million $11.5 million $1.3 million $31.3 million

Longer-termAlternative4-Lane

$53 million $119 million $19 million $191 million

Summary of corridor improvements: Short-term: RCMP and slow-moving vehicle pullouts, Campbell Valley driveway

re-alignment, additional signage and street lighting, wildlife fencing. Medium-term: TWLTLs in 3 sections, intersection upgrades, widen to 4-lanes

west of 176 Street. Longer-term alternative: 4-lane the entire corridor, TWLTLs, intersection

upgrades, alignment improvements through Campbell River Valley.

Corridor Strategy

Proposed Corridor Strategy

Implement short- and medium-term improvements. Undertake additional work to understand regional benefits

of 4-laning, and whether this alternative is feasible.

31

Study conclusions

2-lane corridor with King Road Connector and intersection upgradesmeets current and forecast future traffic demand to 2031.

A 4-lane corridor will induce traffic demand along the corridor, anddivert traffic from other routes.

Key Challenges to 4-laning along the length of the corridor: ALR constraints. Need for regional road capacity still to be determined. Potential to encourage urban sprawl, but restrained by Regional Growth

Strategy. Property and environmental impacts. Multiple jurisdictions. Costs and funding.

32

Next Steps

Next Steps

Review feedback from this Open House. Report findings to Municipal Councils.

34

Thank you for viewing this information.