Editor: Now that Surrey and Langley elected officials have become aware of homeowner concerns for those living in the immediate area of 16 Avenue (Councillor pushes for 16 Ave. safety upgrades, The Times, March 4) the one questions not addressed in the current information in the paper regards the impending consideration by B.C. Transportation for changing the status to a highway.
This change would require expanding the road to four lanes with various needs required by the increasing heavy truck traffic. A search of the MoT web site is not very clear in roadway design requirements.
I have located two different sets of drawings, one for rural locals and one for rural subdivision roads.
Currently, my concerns are for the twinning of Highway 13.
Using the drawings on the MoT site it is more than apparent that there is not enough room between my lot line to accommodate the required width of road.
As it currently stands, it is not in design compliance.
The same is more than apparent for the requirements for 16 Avenue. MoT 1420.05.02 apparently asks for a road surface of 25 metres or, for us old folk, 82 feet for two lanes or 164 feet for four lanes.
The ditches add another 10 feet per side.
The required road width is not available in Aldergrove without land expropriation from 29 Street to Fraser Highway and beyond.
The province and the associated townships have a very serious conundrum: proceed immediately or wait until the costs skyrocket into the stratosphere and become “unobtainium.”
A quandary indeed.
Terry Brenan,
Aldergrove
