City of Surrey staff are mulling options for a dead-end South Surrey road, following a meeting with area residents who contend the route does not need to be connected to a busier network.
“We’re still very much in a phase of looking at options and we’re trying to digest the feedback that we’ve received,” transportation planning manager Philip Bellefontaine told Peace Arch News of discussions around 16A Avenue.
“I think that deserves some time… before we bring anything to council.”
Residents of the 15500-block of 16A Avenue approached PAN last month with concerns, after receiving what they described as conflicting information regarding what was to happen to mature trees in an area scheduled for imminent storm-sewer upgrades.
They were also concerned with city plans to push 16A Avenue through to 156 Street, citing increased traffic volume and speed, impacts to pedestrian safety and the removal of even more trees.
Following the Aug. 31 meeting, resident representative Linda Long told PAN she and others who participated were cautiously optimistic.
“We did leave with a very positive feeling that they will do what they can to meet our needs as well as theirs,” she said.
They later learned that three additional trees they’d been told could be saved during the storm-sewer work, couldn’t.
Bellefontaine said that while there had been a willingness to consider alternatives that would save the trees, those options were determined not viable.
Regarding 16A Avenue, Bellefontaine said connecting it to 156 Street is seen as “a natural progression of completing the road network.”
At the same time, “I wouldn’t want to undervalue the concerns that (residents) have with respect to the road… and what impact there may be with the road being connected.”
A report with recommendations is expected to go before council this fall.