The City of Surrey approved nearly $2.2 million in funding for a road to be constructed through the Cloverdale Fairgrounds at Monday night’s council meeting (July 23).
City council gave the $2,176,000 project to B&B Contracting Ltd., which will build a “177B Street” through the fairgrounds, from 62 Avenue to 64 Avenue.
When complete, it will provide access to the future Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex. The road work is scheduled to start in September 2018 and be completed by March 2019.
Coun. Bruce Hayne noted concerns about potential “rat running,” which is when vehicles take shortcuts down residential or side roads in order to avoid congestion in a main thoroughfare. In this case, the “rat run” would be cutting through the fairgrounds in order to avoid the intersection at Highway 15 and 64 Avenue.
“That to me is a concern, particularly as [the route] goes right past the rec centre and right past the skate park and the kids that are there,” he said.
“I realize that we will need [the road] … but I’m wondering if staff might take a look and consider putting in some bollards for now, until it needs to be punched completely through, so that we don’t have full access [and can] avoid some rat running the meantime,” Hayne said.
Mayor Linda Hepner said she had met with the City Engineer earlier Monday to ask the same question, and had requested that the project be completed in phases to avoid shortcuts as well.
City staff said they would address the issue during the design phase of the project.
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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