Surrey planning 84 Avenue extensions for a continuous east-west route across the city

Surrey planning 84 Avenue extensions for a continuous east-west road across the city

Two missing segments of 84 Avenue will be completed. (City of Surrey)

The municipal government is planning to extend 84 Avenue south of BC Hydro’s Ingledow substation from 124 Street to 128 Street, and south of Bear Creek Park from King George Boulevard to 140 Street.

Filling the two gaps of 84 Avenue in Surrey would create a new major east-west route across the city, and reduce traffic congestion and collisions.

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Construction on the segment south of the substation is expected to begin this year for completion in 2022. For the segment south of the park, the city is currently conducting public consultation, ahead of the planned construction to start as early as next year.

Extending 84 Avenue immediately south of the park within the existing road allowance and under the BC Hydro power lines is expected to have the specific effect of reducing severe congestion at the intersection of 88 Avenue and King George Boulevard. The intersection is deemed the most dangerous in Surrey for vehicle collisions and the third-highest for collisions in BC.

ICBC statistics show there were 122 collisions at this intersection in 2018 and 106 in 2019, respectively — an average of one collision every three days. There have been over 2,000 collisions at the location between 2009 and 2019.

East-west traffic congestion and vehicle traffic volumes in Surrey. (City of Surrey)

Currently, 88 Avenue on the north side of the park is the only continuous route across the city between 64 Avenue and 96 Avenue, resulting in the funnelling of east-west traffic. With a volume of 40,000 vehicles per day, it is Surrey’s busiest east-west corridor.

Municipal planners anticipate completing the missing segments of 84 Avenue, especially south of the park, will help distribute vehicle traffic and reduce travel times.

The estimated cost of the eastern segment road extension is $13 million, which is deemed as the option of the lowest cost, compared to the alternative options of a six-lane widening of 88 Avenue from Scott Road to Fraser Highway ($50 million), grade separation of King George Boulevard and 88 Avenue ($30 million), multi-lane roundabout at King George Boulevard and 88 Avenue ($25 million), and 80 Avenue improvements from King George Boulevard to 152 Street ($50 million).

All of the other options demand private property requirements and impact parks.

Proposed alignment for the 84 Avenue extension from King George Boulevard to 140 Street, south of Bear Creek Park. (City of Surrey)

84 Avenue’s dead end at the intersection with 140 Street, on the east side of Bear Creek Park. (Google Maps)

The design of both segments south of the substation and park will also include pedestrian and cycling pathways, and improve public transit, both in terms of accessibility to existing and future RapidBus services, and the future Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension on Fraser Highway. It would also allow for increased bus service on 84 Avenue in the future.

Additionally, the eastern segment would improve accessibility to the park, which is slated to see a new 2,200-seat athletics stadium. An additional 200 vehicle parking stalls are needed to serve the facility.

As part of the SkyTrain extension project, there are also plans to widen Fraser Highway between 140 Street and 148 Street — within Green Timbers — from the existing two-lane width to a new four-lane standard.

Two missing segments of 84 Avenue will be completed. (City of Surrey)

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