Traffic calming measures are being implemented around Langley Farmer’s Market in Pitt Meadows, with more to come along the Park Road stretch at a future date.
Improvements that can’t come soon enough for Pitt Meadows resident Greg Smith, who has been raising concerns about the Park Road stretch for more than two years.
At the April 2 meeting, he described the two-block stretch of 192A Street as a speedway. Using the crosswalk at the intersection of 192A St. and Davison Road, Smith said is like taking “your life into your hands sometimes.
“Even with eye contact, people just blow right by you. It’s crazy.”
However, Smith believes the improvements recommended in the city’s report do not address residents’ concerns.
“Paint on the road is not going to slow anybody down. You have to physically slow them down,” he said, bringing up the difference between calming measures taken along the east end of Park Road, where there are already soft bumps and stop signs to slow traffic.
“It’s ridiculous, and we have nothing at our end,” said Smith.
Council approved an extension of the Harris Road median, making the grocery store only accessible via 124 Avenue. There will be road sign improvements along with those to traffic lines and the removal of foliage to better inform traffic and improve sight lines.
There will also be a dedicated left-turn lane, with a traffic light for southbound traffic turning onto 124 Ave. from Harris Rd.
Also, concrete bollards at the Harris Rd. and 124 Ave. crosswalk will be removed as they impede pedestrian mobility because they narrow the sidewalk width.
At the bend where 192A St. turns into 124 Ave., signs will be installed, informing traffic of the reduced speed limit from 30 km/h to 20 km/h, and a textured median will also be installed to buffer oncoming traffic.
Again foliage will cleared to improve sight lines and the fence will be relocated on the inside radius. The bike path will be extended with new bike route signage and Stop pavement marking will be installed at Davidson along with a replacement of the stop sign to reduce the potential for accidents.
The estimated construction costs of this work will be around $37,000.
Other calming measures were referred back to city staff to take into account concerns raised at the meeting.
These included measures to be taken at the intersection of 192A Street and Park Road, Park Road and 193 Street, 193 Street and Bonson Road and Bonson Road to Lougheed Highway.
Pitt Meadows Mayor Bill Dingwall doesn’t have a firm timeline but expects the work to begin fairly soon.
He also felt good referring the rest of the proposals back to staff for improvement and is hoping to get more information about speed cushions on collector roads, like Park Road, which he is not a fan of.
“We want to get it right as opposed to anything else,” said Dingwall.
“If we can focus and do something different that achieves those goals then we might have to come up with some extra dollars to do that, I think that is in the community interest and the public safety interest,” he said.
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