South Fraser Perimeter Road/Highway 17 Extension | Completed

[makr3trkr]

it *is* nice, but I have to say

1. there really should be lighting. at night it really wants it. the other problem is some of the lights from the port shine directly in your eyes.

2. 80 km/hr is unreasonably low. 90 km/hr would be reasonable, 100 would still be totally safe.

3. the centre median does feel a bit claustrophobic.

4. there should be "slow traffic keep right" signage

5. the interchange at 176 is quite interesting, they manage to make it free-flow for SB SFPR by preventing WB HWY 1 traffic from crossing straight through the intersection, presumably so trucks aren't lined up stopped on the hill with a 9% grade.

[go_leafs_go02]

Originally Posted by makr3trkr

it *is* nice, but I have to say

1. there really should be lighting. at night it really wants it. the other problem is some of the lights from the port shine directly in your eyes.

I agree to a point, although the majority of Highway 10 and Highway 15 through Surrey have no streetlighting in rural areas - you just need some highly visible markings (not water based paint) and cats eyes reflectors to do the job.

Originally Posted by makr3trkr

2. 80 km/hr is unreasonably low. 90 km/hr would be reasonable, 100 would still be totally safe.

Totally agree, there are parts of Highway 7 once you get past Agassiz that is a 2 lane highway with a 100 km/h speed limit. 90 km/h at a minimum - 100 km/h preferred.

Originally Posted by makr3trkr

3. the centre median does feel a bit claustrophobic.

4. there should be "slow traffic keep right" signage

5. the interchange at 176 is quite interesting, they manage to make it free-flow for SB SFPR by preventing WB HWY 1 traffic from crossing straight through the intersection, presumably so trucks aren't lined up stopped on the hill with a 9% grade.

There should be "Keep Right Except to Pass" and you're right, I seen quite a few vehicles driving in the left lane, with no vehicles in sight. Can't figure out why that seems to be the norm.

[CoryHolmes]

So which parts are open and how do I get to them?

[makr3trkr]

Originally Posted by go_leafs_go02

There should be "Keep Right Except to Pass" and you're right, I seen quite a few vehicles driving in the left lane, with no vehicles in sight. Can't figure out why that seems to be the norm.

I have a feeling people who are from other former British territories might do it out of habit.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by makr3trkr

I have a feeling people who are from other former British territories might do it out of habit.

Interesting idea, but the problem is that the point of driving on the right is so that the driver of the slower vehicle has a better view of the car passing them...So they don't cut the car off if they decide to switch lanes. So they should wonder why there is a center barrier on their drivers side and why its so hard to switch lanes to the right when there are cars passing them...

Was watching this video a while ago and thought it really ilustrates well how people should drive...if they had some respect for others and just some common sense. *good music by the way.
• Video Link
maybe one day we will get there...

Its really bad here though and I find it so much more frustrating and especially unsafe to drive around here when passing other vehicles Its dificult to know what the other person may do when their that ignorant to begin with, and the fact that you are much less visible to them as you approach them making it much more likely that they wont see you coming when they decide to switch lanes.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by Alex Mackinnon

The major cost is to the durability of the surface. 5 year product life instead of 10 apparently.

This is something I would be very interested to know more about. But its difficult to find real hard numbers and information that I can use to compare to whats out there. I would love to know more about different paving options and the effects on noise, fuel efficiency and traction, etc.

[go_leafs_go02]

Originally Posted by CoryHolmes

So which parts are open and how do I get to them?

Easy way is to get off Highway 1 at 176 Street and head north on Highway 17. That will take you almost to the Pattullo Bridge, and you'll ultimately be directed over to King George Blvd.

[jlenko]

Originally Posted by makr3trkr

4. there should be "slow traffic keep right" signage

Welcome to BC. Actually, the West Coast, as I've noticed people in Washington do this too. Way too many people (wrongly) believe they belong in the left lane... while the right lane (on 3+ laned roads) is generally empty. I'm already seeing this same issue on the widened Hwy 1. I stick to the right lane and pass everyone...

[zivan56]

Originally Posted by jlenko

Welcome to BC. Actually, the West Coast, as I've noticed people in Washington do this too. Way too many people (wrongly) believe they belong in the left lane... while the right lane (on 3+ laned roads) is generally empty. I'm already seeing this same issue on the widened Hwy 1. I stick to the right lane and pass everyone...

I would say more like welcome to the Fraser Valley. Driving around BC, left lane hogs are the exception and not the norm. Most of those exceptions have something to link them to the Fraser Valley (i.e license plate frame).

In Alberta, people are super polite about letting you pass on a single lane road (i.e they will move over to the shoulder so you can see/pass easier). In BC a bit less so, but they still stick to the right on multi lane highways.

[deasine]

I don't know if you guys noticed, but I believe the western part drops you off at 115 Avenue where you are supposed to be going at 30kph through the park. Absolutely ludicrous. And the quiet pavement is used at parts where noise shouldn't be much of a problem at all. Overall, great road, but just bizzarre.

[Mininari]

Originally Posted by deasine

I don't know if you guys noticed, but I believe the western part drops you off at 115 Avenue where you are supposed to be going at 30kph through the park. Absolutely ludicrous. And the quiet pavement is used at parts where noise shouldn't be much of a problem at all. Overall, great road, but just bizzarre.

Considering that the opened part now shows up fully in google maps (as a freeway too!), yeah I can see exactly what you mean. I guess they HAD to have an alternate route open to start the tolling early, and phase I of the SFPR was not completely ready to open.

[gary92]

tried out the SFPR road yesterday.

- almost completely empty

- very smooth surface, the noise that the tires were producing from the road sounded very different. might be because it's brand new? or maybe its just me

- 80km/h limit? almost fell asleep driving. crank the speed limit to at least 90km/h. 100km/h would be ideal.

im confused on how traffic will be getting onto patullo bridge once the rest of the highway is open. i keep picturing a massive traffic jam trying to get on the bridge.

[ryanmaccdn]

Originally Posted by gary92

tried out the SFPR road yesterday.

- almost completely empty

- very smooth surface, the noise that the tires were producing from the road sounded very different. might be because it's brand new? or maybe its just me

- 80km/h limit? almost fell asleep driving. crank to the speed limit to at least 90km/h. 100km/h would be ideal.

im confused on how traffic will be getting onto patullo bridge once the rest of the highway is open. i keep picturing a massive traffic jam trying to get on the bridge.

On that note....

Who decides speed limits? MOT?

If so how would one put pressure on changes to this and has that ever been successful in speed limits either going up or down?

Curious...

[go_leafs_go02]

Originally Posted by ryanmaccdn

On that note....

Who decides speed limits? MOT?

If so how would one put pressure on changes to this and has that ever been successful in speed limits either going up or down?

Curious...

Here you go, there is a lobby group called SENSE that has been aiming to adjust speed limits to match what drivers are already driving at:

http://www.sense.bc.ca/

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by deasine

I don't know if you guys noticed, but I believe the western part drops you off at 115 Avenue where you are supposed to be going at 30kph through the park. Absolutely ludicrous. And the quiet pavement is used at parts where noise shouldn't be much of a problem at all. Overall, great road, but just bizzarre.

It's a 30 construction zone east of the park anyway since they have to complete the SFPR. It doesn't matter, during rush hour, traffic will barely crawl at 5km/h queuing onto the Patullo Bridge.

[wrenegade]

Originally Posted by c041v

The entire purpose of this layer is to reduce traffic noise, nothing else.

If it is the same stuff that was used on the Sea-to-Sky around Lions Bay and Squamish it is also absolutely fantastic when it is wet. Better traction, less spray, no water pooling and better visibility. I wish the entire Sea-to-Sky could have been paved like that.

[moosejaw]

Originally Posted by wrenegade

If it is the same stuff that was used on the Sea-to-Sky around Lions Bay and Squamish it is also absolutely fantastic when it is wet. Better traction, less spray, no water pooling and better visibility. I wish the entire Sea-to-Sky could have been paved like that.

I wonder if they should be using this stuff at the local dragstrip?

[tybuilding]

Originally Posted by go_leafs_go02

Here you go, there is a lobby group called SENSE that has been aiming to adjust speed limits to match what drivers are already driving at:

http://www.sense.bc.ca/

Well this is a bike route. Cycling is allowed on the shoulders so I don't see that 90 or 100 is appropriate until the multi-use trail is open which will be who knows when. Yes I know that the upper levels is 90.

I sent a correction to Google to make it look like Highway 15/176 street as it is not a freeway.

[go_leafs_go02]

Originally Posted by tybuilding

Well this is a bike route. Cycling is allowed on the shoulders so I don't see that 90 or 100 is appropriate until the multi-use trail is open which will be who knows when. Yes I know that the upper levels is 90.

and Highway 1 through the Sumas Flats is a bike route and is 100. Coquihalla which is a bike route is 110.

Is that ideal? absolutely not, a parallel trail should be done, but I'm giving examples of other locations with higher speed limits that are classified as "bike routes"

[GMasterAres]

Originally Posted by makr3trkr

I have a feeling people who are from other former British territories might do it out of habit.

It's a lower mainland and fraser valley thing. It always irks me whenever I hit the fraser valley driving from the interior. Same is starting to happen in Kelowna now too.

I'll be following people on the Coquihalla and we're all in the right lane driving at or a bit above the speed limit. Then you round down towards Hope and come into the Hope area. Almost like clock work I start seeing people go from the right into the left lane for no reason. They just do it and then drive in the left lane. Then people start from the left going in the right to pass them and by the time you hit Chilliwack it is a pure free for all with trucks passing on the right, people going slow in the left, and me smacking my forehead wishing I was back in the interior where at least my drive wasn't pure frustration.

Like I said, just seems to happen once you hit 'civilization.'

Personally I peg it the power of anonymity. When you're in rural BC it's easy to stick out as the idiot driving in the left lane slowly. When you're in metro-Vancouver and hundreds of other people are doing it, you just tend to start breaking the rules yourself. Same happens with speed. Amazes me how I'll drive between Clinton and 100 mile and everyone is doing at or very close to the speed limit. That's because you stick out so much, far less traffic.

Hit the lower mainland and instantly people drive 10-20kph faster because "well everyone is doing it and the cops can't pull EVERYONE over harrr..."