Delta council approved some temporary measures this week in an attempt to help alleviate the effects traffic ties ups around the George Massey Tunnel are having on local farms.
During the afternoon rush, many commuters heading towards the tunnel try to circumvent the long lines by detouring through local roads in the Crescent Island area, an area bound by River Road to the north, 62B Street to the west and Crescent Slough to the south. The area is almost entirely comprised of farms.
During the afternoon rush, many drivers heading out of the Tilbury area try to get around the backup that forms along 62B Street and River Road by turning left at 68th Street, which takes drivers to 60th Avenue. The line-ups begin as drivers must wait at the lights to turn left onto 62B Street and head towards the tunnel or onto Highway 17.
Coun. Ian Paton said the "horrendous" traffic congestion caused by this practice is affecting farmers trying to move crops and equipment on and off their properties.
"It's very, very frustrating to almost everyone who has to do any commuting here in Delta," he said.
Last week, Paton and Delta staff held an emergency meeting with farmers from the area and staff from the Ministry of Transportation, Gateway and the Vancouver Landfill, as access to the landfill is also affected.
Paton said the back ups are particularly frustrating for farmers at this time as many are at the peak of the harvest season.
"This activity has resulted in local farmers being severely affected and they are concerned about their ability to deliver time sensitive produce during their harvest season," states a report from Steven Lan, Delta's director of engineering.
To curtail the shortcutting and keep farm traffic flowing, civic politicians approved some temporary turning restrictions Monday night. Between 2 and 6 p.m. weekdays, left turns at 68th Street and 65B Street will be restricted to local traffic only. The restrictions will be in force until Nov. 2.
During that time, those roads will be barricaded and manned by a traffic control person.
On Monday, Lan said the temporary measures should be in place by Thursday.
Staff will meet with area residents in six weeks to assess the effectiveness of the measures and to consider permanent changes.
"This is one of the worst interchanges, I would suggest, in all of British Columbia," Mayor Lois Jackson said of the approach to the tunnel.
"This is such a disgrace you would wonder which country this interchange is really in."
At the meeting, Ministry of Transportation staff also agreed to look at coordinating the traffic lights along 62B Street and onto Highway 17 to help keep traffic moving. As well, a traffic cam that will provide a live feed on the ministry's www.drivebc.com website will be installed at this location.
The temporary measures will cost Delta an estimated $18,000.
