Is it just me or is there some sort of conspiracy determined to make driving miserable in North Delta and, in fact, throughout the Lower Mainland?
Okay, I know infrastructure requires maintenance and the replacement of drainage pipes, wires, and road surfaces from time to time. However, there seems to have been an explosion of enthusiasm to create chaos virtually everywhere.
The Burrard Bridge, Marine Drive, everywhere one drives has been a planned nightmare all summer. Those ubiquitous orange construction signs have popped up on almost every road, or at least so it would seem.
Even here in sleepy old North Delta I find it impossible to access my home without encountering at least one stop- page. One day this summer was so bad, it was hilarious:
Heading west on 80th from Scott Road, I was first stopped at Delta Rise while large dump and cement trucks maneuvered their way onto the site. Then, just past McCloskey Elementary at 114th, I again found myself waiting for the flagman – or woman – to allow me to proceed. At 112th I once again had the pleasure of stopping, and finally, after turning south onto 112th, I found myself at a standstill for the fourth time.
Oh joy! Four stoppages in less than one kilometre. Who could ask for more?
And let’s not forget about the quality of our roads while all this is going on. They are beginning to remind me of Africa, and that is NOT a good thing!
I am told that 112th will have a “non-designated” bike lane, whatever that means, but it is something to worry about. Other places with bike lanes end up squeezing traffic. The real question is: Do we really need a bike lane on 112th?
As I drive on that particular street regularly, I had counted bikes all spring – before everything became rubble. My count did not even reach 10. So is this decision an example of the tyranny of the minority?
Now we are well into September, having endured so many months of disruption. Hopefully the work will end soon and this can all become a bad but distant memory, but I have my doubts, particularly as the flags and cones are up south of Sungod on 112th. Lucky us!
Bonnie Sutherland is the president of the North Delta Rotary Club and a former teacher at Seaquam secondary for 26 years. Sutherland is also very involved in humanitarian work in the developing world and Write2Read here in B.C.
