Highway 17 is undergoing a widening project that will see eastbound lane closures until late August. Taking place on a stretch between 56th Street and Tsawwassen Drive, the highway work is being undertaken by the Tsawwassen First Nation to support development on its lands, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
As part of the development of a pair of mega malls, the developers have been required to undertake roadway capacity and safety improvements to accommodate a projected increase in traffic volumes.
To be completed by the fall of 2015, the ministry says the improvements involve various projects, such as intersection upgrades at several locations, including 56th and 52nd streets.
The TFN earlier this year held a ceremony with developers Ivanhoe Cambridge and Property Development Group to announce the first tenants for Tsawwassen Mills and Tsawwassen Commons.
Slated for completion in 2016, the two malls will combine to provide almost 1.8 million square feet of shopping and office space near Highway 17 and 52nd Street.
Meanwhile, the Tsawwassen Shores housing development is starting to take shape.
As far as traffic impacts, an assessment done for the TFN a couple of years ago noted it's anticipated the shopping centres will generate an additional 1,000 vehicles per hour in the a.m. peak period, with 3,800 vehicles during the p.m. peak hour. An expected 6,500 vehicles will come during the Saturday peak period around noon.
By full TFN build-out in 2031, it's expected the traffic generated will be 3,600 vehicles in the a.m. peak hour, 7,100 vehicles during the p.m. peak, and 9,000 during the Saturday peak.
