Editor:
Perhaps you’ve noticed, an ever-increasing number of people in South Surrey and White Rock are biking.
I expect that trend to grow rapidly in coming years, as it has throughout the region.
Local officials need to know that the road conditions for bicycles here are awful.
Here is a small sample:
• 20 Avenue has signs saying it’s a bike route. But it’s a very dangerous road for bikers. Between 140 and 144 streets, especially, there are four places where the shoulders disappear, squeezing bikers out. It is also impossible to safely ride a bike eastbound on 20 Avenue from 150 Street to 152 Street. I use the sidewalk which, understandably, annoys pedestrians.
• Children ride bikes to Semiahmoo Secondary and Thrift Elementary. There’s a good bike lane in front of the schools on 148 Street. But the approach to the schools along 148 Street, north of 20 Avenue, narrows dangerously and has an uneven gravel shoulder.
• On 16 Avenue, you can ride fairly safely heading eastward towards 152 Street. But there’s no safe way to go the other way. What good is a one-way bike route?
• There is now a lot of traffic on 156 Street from 24 Avenue to 16 Avenue. In some parts of that stretch, there’s a bike lane. But the lane narrows dangerously in several spots, forcing the cyclist onto the sidewalk.
• The pedestrian bridge over Highway 99 at 28 Avenue has signs indicating it is for bike use. But the approaching roads, 28 Avenue and 156 Street, are both very dangerous routes as bikers are squeezed off the road by vehicles. I was recently run off the road by a car in that area.
• I have ceased to use the bike lane on 24 Avenue that crosses Highway 99 en route to the Morgan Crossing shopping area, because cars on that road go so very fast, side by side. On several occasions I have nearly been clipped by car mirrors in that area.
• As for the route I need to use most often, along 152 Street towards Semiahmoo mall, banks, drug stores, clinics, post office and other common outlets, forget it. A bicyclist must get on sidewalks or risk serious injury. There’s no room anywhere else for a biker.
Bryant Avery, Surrey