Cyclists left behind: Surrey's extensive road extension criticized
Cyclists have some beef with the City of Surrey after it approved a road extension along a busy route but didn’t include plans for designated bike lanes or sidewalks. Still, the City is defending its decision to exclude them — despite growing anger from advocates.
Earlier this year, Surrey City Council gave City of Surrey staff the green light to proceed with the procurement of a detailed design to perform a 5 km-long, four-lane-wide extension of the 72 Avenue roadway between 152 Street and Highway 15 (Pacific Highway/176 Street).
The project will address a major gap in the east-west arterial road route of 72 Avenue near the geographic centre of Surrey. It’s being slated as the City’s most extensive road construction project in years.
Map of the 72 Avenue extension route. (City of Surrey)
Since the extension was approved advocates at HUB Cycling put forward a plea urging the City to reverse its decision “and include safe facilities for people of all ages and abilities to walk, cycle, or roll.”
“This extension will see the construction of a four-lane road with no safe, separated travel lanes for people walking or using other active transportation modes,” the plea reads.
Tim Yzerman is one of the advocates at HUB Cycling and a long-time cyclist in Surrey. He further explains that he and other cyclists are concerned the approved extension does not include enough space for vulnerable road users. He added that despite the City’s Vision Zero safety goals, Transportation Plan aims, or Climate Action Strategy targets, “infrastructure is built in such a way … [it] is not accommodating.”
“They’re excluding people cycling and walking in that project, even though they can easily do it with a bit of infrastructure change,” he told Daily Hive.
Third option for 72 Avenue extension’s four-lane design with drainage and farm access improvements. (City of Surrey)
Currently, this corridor is occupied by private crops, drainage ditches, and private farm access roads. The road extension would primarily be fronted by properties used for dairy operations.
Additionally, while the city accommodates vulnerable road users by giving drivers the ability to keep more distance, “Why can’t they do it here with this project?” Yzerman asks.
However, the City of Surrey responded by saying that, in light of the new BC rules to allow for safe cyclist passing distances, if a cyclist uses the paved shoulder, the City said its road design accommodates that movement, “and the second travel lane will allow a vehicle to pass a cyclist with an appropriate distance.”
HUB’s Surrey/White Rock Local Committee is calling on the City of Surrey to further study the need for this road expansion project and the impacts on other priorities for transportation projects.
The existing condition of 72 Avenue looking east from the intersection with 152 Street (Google Maps).
In an emailed statement from the City, it explained the various road cross section options for 72 Avenue were developed and based on a number of factors like transportation movements, demand to the adjacent agricultural land use, and farm access and egress.
“Protected cycling was not included on the proposed 72 Avenue extension option from council for a variety of reasons including the fact that the province is making a significant investment ($40 to $60 million) along Fraser Highway as part of the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain and that will provide an adjacent east-west protected cycling corridor,” the City explained.
“As well, the City is investing in cycling and pedestrian facilities on other parallel east-west corridors such as 64 Avenue which will be delivered in the short-term.”
The City of Surrey went on to say it is being “strategic” about its road network and taking into consideration the growing population which is anticipated to reach one million residents by 2050.
“The City carefully considers each road corridor and the competing interests for road spaces in the City, while minimizing the impact of our capital project footprints on residents and businesses,” the City said in its statement. “Ultimately, the City strives to achieve a balance that serves all interests – whether by car, trucks/goods movements, transit, walking, cycling, street trees and landscaping or municipal utilities.”
Vehicle traffic comparison today and in 2050 on nearby parallel routes. (City of Surrey)
The City’s perspective is that the proposed cross-section on 72 Avenue “achieves an overall balance for the City’s residents, businesses, and agricultural community.”
The extension costs $138 million, and if all goes as planned for the City, the detailed design of the 72 Avenue extension project will be completed by Spring 2025.