Abbotsford/Surrey/Langley/White Rock (With files from Abby News) – There are two interesting transportation proposals that City Planners in Abbotsford are mulling over.
Sorry it has nothing to do with rapid transit and everything to do with widening roads into highways. In theory , the idea is to link the road near the Abbotsford International Airport out to 16th Avenue in Langley, travelling to White Rock and intersecting with Highway 99 to provide another high-volume east–west route from Abbotsford to Surrey — with the goal of easing heavy traffic on the Fraser Highway.
Neighbours and businesses are not too keen on the idea. Traffic and possible appropriation of land are just some of the sticking points.
Idea #1 – Connect two existing sections of King Road; the second to diagonally connect the Marshall Road Extension from the east to King Road from the west. In both cases, the connected road would be two lanes with shoulders and bicycle access. By 2031, planners predict an expansion to four full lanes will be necessary due to projected traffic increases.
Idea #2 –The Marshall Road route would cost about $5 million less for the initial two-lane connector, and nearly $9 million less than the 2031 four-lane widening plan. But widening the road would cut into existing homeowners’ yards, and bring heavy truck traffic to what was formerly a quiet residential cul-de-sac.
City staff are recommending the Marshall route but that does not mean the consultations are over.
Far from it. This could take a while and a few loud public council meetings to hash out. Yes construction could start next year but don’t hold your breath.
