Category Archives: Roads, Bridges and Traffic

Follow-up on a fatal crash and a homeless camp

November 11, 2015 By in Housing, Real Estate and Property Taxes, Maple Ridge, Roads, Bridges and Traffic Tags: , , Leave a comment

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On May 18 of this year we published a letter to Doug Bing, a member of the British Columbia Legislature, about a fatal crash on a provincial highway near our home in suburban Maple Ridge. The layout of the highway intersection where the crash took place had been unsafe for years.

In recent weeks, technicians have installed a low-tech improvement at the problem corner. This modest screen, pictured above, deters southbound drivers from making the last-minute lane switch that was putting all directions at risk. If the pylons get mowed down, they can be re-installed. Thanks to Mr. Bing for taking in interest in this issue. Continue reading →

Cool concepts in road pricing for Metro Vancouver

August 16, 2015 By in Metro Vancouver, Roads, Bridges and Traffic Tags: 4 Comments
From the 2014 funding plan of the TransLink mayors

Photo from the 2014 funding plan of the TransLink mayors

In his first news conference this month as British Columbia’s minister for Metro  transportation, Peter Fassbender said road pricing deserves a “serious and concerted look” as a possible way to fund transit and regional roads. Mr. Fassbender is a former City of Langley mayor, now a provincial legislator, with a close knowledge of the issues. A sales tax proposal was defeated in a recent referendum; the 17-year-long search for a transit funding formula will now resume.

The road pricing mention matters to the region’s road users, especially long-distance commuters like me. We would face increased costs in return (supposedly) for quicker trips, because some motorists would choose other transportation modes or stay home. And reduced congestion would (supposedly) benefit all taxpayers by reducing the demand for new highway construction. Continue reading →

An open letter about a fatal crash

May 18, 2015 By in Maple Ridge, Roads, Bridges and Traffic Tags: , 1 Comment

2015 05 10 crashThe following letter was sent by email on May 18, 2015 to Doug Bing, member of the British Columbia Legislature for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows.

Dear Doug,

Re: Fatal crash on the Haney Bypass

On Sunday afternoon, May 10, 2015, two vehicles collided at the intersection of the Haney Bypass and Callaghan Avenue  near our home in Maple Ridge. A 14-year old passenger died in hospital the next day.

I was reminded of the letter I wrote to you in February 2014 about the frequent crack-ups and near-misses at this corner. Our elderly neighbour had just walked away from a pile-up that he was lucky to survive. Continue reading →

The freeway islands, Langley, British Columbia

December 30, 2014 By in Planning and Development, Roads, Bridges and Traffic, Surrey Langley White Rock Tags: , 1 Comment
Commercial development, right, is surrounded by components of the 200th Street Interchange

Commercial development, right, is surrounded by components of the 200th Street Interchange

In 1999 or thereabouts, the British Columbia government and Langley Township agreed to locate commercial development within a new Highway 1 interchange at 200th Street, replacing a crumbling structure from the Diefenbaker era. Interchange traffic would be controlled by several sets of traffic signals, a departure from freer-flowing design traditions. Continue reading →