The Corporation of Delta is working with the province to try and alleviate a major traffic headache for many local commuters.
On most weekday afternoons, long traffic lineups start to form along 62B Street as commuters try to make their way onto Highway 99 and through the George Massey Tunnel or south on Highway 17 and into Ladner and Tsawwassen.
In an attempt to keep traffic flowing, Delta and the B.C. Ministry of Transportation are coordinating the traffic signals at the Highway 17 and Highway 99 interchange as well as at 62B Street and 60 Avenue, which currently operate independently of each other.
"Coordinating the three sets of traffic signals should provide some congestion relief by optimizing vehicle throughput," read a staff report presented to council Monday night. "However, given overall vehicle volumes and only a single land northbound (during afternoon rush hour), queuing will still persist."
Deputy director of engineering Hugh Fraser told council staff expects a slight improvement once the signals are coordinated. However, significant improvement will not be seen until the South Fraser Perimeter Road opens.
"With the opening of the South Fraser Perimeter Road at the end of 2013 by the province, it is expected that northbound and southbound traffic volumes over Highway 99 will decrease on Highway 17 and 62B Street," the report states. "This decrease in volume is expected to ease queue lengths and delays for commuter traffic."
The project will cost an estimated $40,000, which will be shared between Delta and the province. The light at 62B Street and 60 Avenue falls under Delta's jurisdiction while the province controls the two signals at highways 17 and 99.
Delta's portion of the cost is estimated not to exceed $15,000.
