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South Surrey interchange improvements coming, province announces

Highway 99 and 32 Avenue exit ramp to be extended, lanes added
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The Province of B.C. is making improvements to the Highway 99/32nd Avenue Interchange in Surrey to make travel to and from South Surrey and White Rock safer and more efficient, notes a release from the government issued Oct. 4. (Government of BC)

Improvements to the Highway 99 - 32 Avenue interchange in South Surrey, announced by the provincial government Tuesday, are aimed at providing congestion relief to making travel to and from South Surrey and White Rock safer and more efficient.

But during construction – which is expected to last until the spring of next year – drivers can expect lane closures and a reduced speed limit through the project area, a media release warned.

The interchange work began in late September following an award of $14 million to principal contractor LaFarge Canada Ltd.

The release said the existing Highway 99 southbound exit ramp to 32 Avenue is to be extended to prevent the traffic queue from backing up onto the highway.

Other measures to improve safety for drivers include a new traffic lane at the Highway 99 entry and exit ramps, to improve merging and add room for vehicles.

READ ALSO: 32 Avenue interchange improvements on City of Surrey’s radar

As well as this work, travel lanes on the 32 Avenue diversion, under Highway 99, will be reconfigured and an additional westbound lane will be added, the release states.

A protected multi-use pathway will also be provided on the south side of 32 Avenue under Highway 99 to improve active transportation connections in the region.

“These improvements will help make it easier for people travelling to and from South Surrey and White Rock,” transportation and infrastructure minister Rob Fleming commented in the release.

“This interchange is a major connection point, and by improving the flow of traffic we’ll reduce commuters’ travel times and keep Highway 99 travellers moving safely and smoothly,” he said.

Surrey Board of Trade president and CEO Anita Huberman was swift to applaud the work on the interchange – while saying in a media release Tuesday that it won’t be enough, by itself, to solve congestion issues in the area.

“Previous Surrey Board of Trade road survey reports have indicated the need for widening the Highway 99 and 32 Avenue interchange,” she noted.

“But we know that adding more lanes will not completely solve the congestion issues we face in Surrey,” she added, pointing out that queuing at the interchange is particularly problematic during rush hours.

“We need to heavily invest in different modes of transportation, in addition to buses, so that we can connect all of Surrey,” she said

For updates on the project, check: DriveBC.ca (https://DriveBC.ca)



alex.browne@peacearchnews.com

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