Median plan failing Grade, say residents
Brookswood resident Cathy Doro voiced her opinion Wednesday night at an open house at Uplands Elementary concerning the 44 Avenue and 208 Street re-design proposals.
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Deal with Grade Crescent now and forget these ‘make-work’ medians, said the majority of people who came out to see what Langley City’s engineering department has in mind for 208 Street this summer.
More than 150 people turned out to the open house at Uplands Elementary on Wednesday, with the majority wanting something done at Grade Crescent, which has a blind corner to turn both right and left onto 208 Street.
Many agreed with the paving which has been badly needed, but others questioned why medians needed to go in at all.
“I’m suggesting attack Grade Crescent now, put the money you would spend on medians into putting a light there,” said one resident to City head engineer Gary Vlieg.
The City’s current plans, as shown on reader boards, is to put a landscaped median along 208 Street from 47 to 48 Avenue, as well as extend the median at 46A Avenue to block any left-hand turns out of that street.
The landscaped median was a bone of contention for many who came out. For various reasons, many questioned the need for them.
For Garry Dawe and Norm Basque and at least eight other homeowners, the median means they are limited to right in and right out of their driveways, forcing them to drive all the way around to Grade Crescent, turn around and come back down to their homes.
Several homeowners were outside the meeting asking people to sign a petition against the median.
“My family will be making thousands of extra trips per year because of this and driving one mile extra to do the circle home,” said Dawe, who plans to present his petition to council.
A couple who live on 208 Street wonder if the median will impede emergency vehicles’ ability to access properties.
They would like to see a painted middle lane with right and left hand turn lanes and look into putting a traffic circle or light at Grade.
Many in the room spoke of how unsafe it is for drivers to make turns onto 208 Street from Grade. But proposals for Grade won’t come to the public until this fall or spring of next year, said Vlieg.
Part of the problem is developing a plan that works within development of the area west of Grade.
“So we are holding off for something that may or may not happen?” asked one frustrated resident.
Vlieg said ICBC has indicated that a light isn’t safe at Grade Crescent because of the grade on 208 Street when drivers come down the hill and are forced to stop.
Many questioned ICBC’s decision on that, citing New Westminster’s hills, the light at the bottom of the Coquihalla hill in Merritt, Coquitlam’s hills, etc. No one from ICBC was in attendance.
“New Westminster has signal after signal,” said Vlieg.
A light at Grade would cost $250,000 and the medians will cost in the range of $70,000, said Vlieg.
Others suggested a light at the top of 208 Street could be synchronized with the light at the bottom.
If council doesn’t stop the engineering department’s plans, work to build the medians and do the paving will begin at the end of the month. This work is expected to be complete before the new school year.
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