Delta council this week approved granting early capital budget approval for a series of road projects throughout Delta, including three in Tsawwassen.
At a price tag of $3.6 million, a project for 8A Avenue, between 52nd and 56th streets, includes roadway widening, marked bike lanes on both sides, a sidewalk on one side, bus stop improvements, new ornamental street lighting, watermain and sewer upgrades as well as drainage improvements.
Also getting funding is a project to address safety concerns at the corner of 53A Street and 16th Avenue, improvements that will cost around $150,000.
Area residents said they’ve witnessed or heard several collisions at the intersection, including one where a vehicle ended up on a retaining wall in the front yard of a home.
The engineering department recently mailed out a series of proposed improvements to gather public feedback. Those measures include a raised right turn median island that would require northbound vehicles to come to a complete stop prior to proceeding through the intersection. In conjunction with the raised median island, marked pedestrian crosswalks are proposed across 16th Avenue. Street lighting would be added to provide better visibility through the intersection as well as a pedestrian-activated crosswalk with flashing beacons on 53A Street at nearby Upland Drive.
The city is also setting aside $55,000 for an enhanced crosswalk on English Bluff Road at Fred Gingell Park in Tsawwassen.
Delta installed an overhead illuminated crosswalk in 2014, but some residents said pedestrians are not easily seen due to cars parked along the road. Area residents last year petitioned for a better crosswalk.
One resident noted that while a study that looked at traffic volumes determined there’s no need for an enhanced crosswalk, there have been “near misses” due to the limited visibility. Asking for pedestrian-activated flashing beacons, the resident noted the park is a popular spot that’s in proximity to schools and “that it just takes one vehicle to not stop or see a pedestrian for a tragedy to occur.”
Other improvements include a new sidewalk for 48th Avenue in Ladner ($240,000), extending Ottawa Street to provide access to adjacent Boundary Bay Airport lands ($1.4 million) and signal improvements on 56th Street ($110,000).
According to the engineering department, early budget approvals allow projects to be tendered early in the year to get better pricing and improved schedules for completion. Each project still needs final approval.
