South Fraser Perimeter Road/Highway 17 Extension | Completed

[Pennywise604]

Originally Posted by Stingray2004

As someone who grew up in Tsawwassen and still has roots there, strangely enough I would still utilize the existing Hwy 17 route (even with the Ladner Trunk Road signalized intersection) as it's quicker and more direct to the GMT than the current southerly SFPR routing.

BTW, the original 2-lane Hwy 17 was posted at 70 mph (113 km/hr) during the 1960's and it currently has a 90 km/h speed limit albeit operating speed is ~110 km/hr.

I've also sent our friends at TIC a note for clarification.

As for 56th St. and 52nd St., those two intersections have been identified as longer range interchange conversion sites. 56th St. should have been converted years ago though (major accident site).

I always wondered why it was such a high crash zone. What's the reason? Red Light runners, or just speed, or both?

[Smooth]

Not sure if it's been pointed out here but Delta has a map on their website (http://www.deltamap.ca/) which shows the rough alignment of where the SFPR goes.

On the left side of the map, under "Transportation", there is a box titled "Proposed SFPR" which you can check. You can also turn on various aerial photos.

I'm not sure how up to date the alignment is; however, I found it useful to give a broad overview since I'm not all that familiar with Delta's road network.

[Stingray2004]

Regarding the previous discussion of the future of the section of Hwy 17 between Ladner Trunk Road and Deltaport Way, after 10 days I finally received this response:

I’m sorry for my delayed response. I wanted to inform you that the future for that section of Highway 17 has not been determined yet. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is in consultations with the Corporation of Delta, but a decision has not been made yet about how to proceed.


Community Relations Officer
Gateway Program

[eternallyme]

Due to the environmental constraints, would it make sense to change the routing?

The most logical routing I can think of - balancing traffic concerns from Deltaport to the east and north-south through traffic - would be to start from the Golden Ears/Highway 1 interchange. The new highway should swing south and follow the Highway 15 corridor. Just before Cloverdale, it would swing southwest following that canal (there are three golf courses there - the highway would have to swing north then west to avoid them and the canals). At 56th Avenue, it would swing westward, north of the Serpentine River (some industrial expropriation needed at Colebrook Road) to join up with Highway 99 at a high-speed interchange.

The corridor could have a design speed of 120 km/h to provide a high-speed bypass from N->E and S->W as well as a much improved route for through travel in Greater Vancouver (currently there are no freeways to provide any of those movements).

[Zassk]

Well, aside from the fact that the SFPR is already under construction, the alignment you describe has a few shortcomings: it doesn't connect to Alex Fraser or Patullo bridges, it doesn't connect to any of the Fraser port docks or the industrial complexes that are the start/end point of many of the trucks that will use SFPR. The route you describe through Cloverdale basically would only be convenient to those in Cloverdale. As for the environmental concerns, I'm not sure if environmental concerns would be any less with a freeway that cuts straight through the fragile Campbell and Serpentine watersheds, as compared to the SFPR that skirts the boundary of a reclaimed (not pristine) bog.

[Stingray2004]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

The new highway should swing south and follow the Highway 15 corridor. Just before Cloverdale, it would swing southwest following that canal (there are three golf courses there - the highway would have to swing north then west to avoid them and the canals). At 56th Avenue, it would swing westward, north of the Serpentine River (some industrial expropriation needed at Colebrook Road) to join up with Highway 99 at a high-speed interchange.

You're referring to the regional "Serpentine Freeway Corridor" but that's down the road (no pun intended) and separate from the SFPR.

[officedweller]

The 1996 Livable Region Strategic Plan shows an upgraded or new route along Hwy 10 that is distinct from the SFPR:

[Stingray2004]

Some recent pre-loading activity:

Looking toward the Hwy 17 Deltaport Way overpass near the SFPR's western terminus:





Source: Flickr - emilylaughing

Burns Bog/ Tilbury Industrial Area Section:



Source: Flickr - BurnsBog2009

[Zassk]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The 1996 Livable Region Strategic Plan shows an upgraded or new route along Hwy 10 that is distinct from the SFPR:

The diagram also appears to show a Stormont Connector... and a connection from it to Queensborough... interesting.

[officedweller]

Yeah, looks like it. It also looks like it connects to 10th Ave (I think that's the street).

[anchorman]

I was under the impression the (eventual) NFPR would take away a need for a Stormont connector by providing a freeflowing route from the 91a to the Number 1.

[Zassk]

^ But New West is turning Front St into a riverfront park... so I don't see how a NFPR can be built through there anymore.

[DKaz]

We've heard that Front St. will turn into an underground* throughfare with an urban park up above, it's the parkade that would disappear.

*Underground meaning at the existing elevation with a concrete box built around it and parkland above.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by DKaz

We've heard that Front St. will turn into an underground* throughfare with an urban park up above, it's the parkade that would disappear.

*Underground meaning at the existing elevation with a concrete box built around it and parkland above.

Is this all hearsay? Are there any renders?

[Metro-One]

The NFPR is definitely the most up in the air aspect of the Gateway Program. I wish it were at least a little more concrete and further along in proposed alignments (interchange design). I do not know why they did not build the east approach (Lougheed, Dewdney) of the Pitt River Bridge as an interchange as well while they were at it. Having only the west approach as an interchange (one that is still only half done...) seems a little strange for the current.

While we are talking about the Pitt River Bridge, since the super structure has been completed absolutely nothing has been done on the approaches!

I was in Japan for 4 weeks this past month and I thought that would be more than enough time to at least clean up and re-align Lougheed's approaches (at least on the east side) and when I got home not a single pebble had been touched since I left.

Also I hope none of those large asphalt bumps as one enters the bridge deck and horrible lane removal markings are part of the final product.

[twoNeurons]

New West's "Front" street would have plenty of space to box in a 4-lane by-pass:


Since most traffic on COlumbia is passing THROUGH New West it would do wonders to downtown. I support New West choking traffic on their downtown.

The only way I see the NFPR going ahead is with an enclosed by-pass along front street. Maybe they could step down the elevation a bit and make it a little like the riverfront on the Seine in Paris... the Roadway and pedestrian areas are 5 or 6 meters different in elevation, and there's a boxed in Train line along its length.

[Stingray2004]

Firstly, the NFPR between the Queensborough bridgehead eastward to Hwy 1 already exists along the old arterials of Stewardson, Front, Columbia, and Brunette.

Nothing much to be done there except for a 2nd Brunette lane east-bound in front of the old brewery site and a short 1-lane westbound truck underpass from Columbia to Front St.

And the United Blvd/Brunette interchange.

And then that's it folks.

The NFPR under provincial MoTI jurisdiction comprises the Mary Hill Bypass and the Lougheed Hwy right up to the Golden Ears Bridge connector. That's where the major work will be carried out over the mid/longer term - ie. interchanges along the Mary Hill and Lougheed.

As for Front St. in New West itself, it will remain a 2-lane truck route with the eventual possibility of the demolition of the parkade in order to open up views toward the Fraser River and provide better pedestrian connectivity to the waterfront.

Longer term New West plans also include the encapsulation of Front St. and the rail line to provide a further seamless connection to the waterfront and future associated park space.

http://www.newwestcity.ca/database/rte/DCP%20Presentation%20May%202009.pdf

[officedweller]

Yeah, my understanding of the NFPR is that it's just a piecemeal improvement of existing roads.
That said, "encapsualating" Front Street makes sense as a significant improvement that seems "do-able".


BTW - thanks for the post of that New West powerpoint presentation.
It even includes a render of the Larco watefront towers.
I had thought that was off the table given that the City bought the New Westminster Pier, but I guess that the pier is farther east (?).

[officedweller]

From the International Bridge Technologies website. This suggests that the bridge deck can be widened (or at least altered)...

http://www.ibtengineers.com/PROJECTS/PittRiver/pittriver-1.html

Pitt River Bridge
Vancouver, British Columbia

This new bridge, part of the North Fraser Perimeter Road in Vancouver, will replace two existing two-lane swing span bridges on the Pitt River connecting the municipalities of Pitt Meadows and Port Coquitlam. The new bridge will be constructed within the existing right-of-way and will allow free passage of marine traffic without disrupting the Highway 7 traffic.
The roadway allows for seven lanes of traffic and has a provision for eight lanes in the future including a bike path. The superstructure width varies from 40.5 m to 48 m (133 ft to 157.5 ft) in the initial configuration. The main river crossing consists of a three-span cable-stayed bridge with a 190 m (623 ft) main span. The bridge superstructure consists of a steel-concrete composite deck supported by three planes of stay cables in a “harp” arrangement. The bridge is supported on large diameter piles anchored in the till with pile caps at water level. The bridge construction completed in 2009.

Owner: Ministry of Transportation, British Columbia, Canada
Design-Build Contractor: Peter Kiewit Sons Co.
Prime Consultant: ND LEA Inc., Associated Engineering
Bridge Design Consultant: International Bridge Technologies, Inc.

[DKaz]

It may just refer to the fact that if an 8th WB lane is ever required, they can build the sidewalk outside the structure on a metal deck.