Highway 91 / 72nd Ave. Interchange | Completed

[moosejaw]

usually uploaded pictures are too large
but this is head scratching to say the least

[Dave2]

Video
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1737...7813403150159/

[officedweller]

Nice!
Thanks for posting.

[Joe Fraser]

Went and toured the interchange last night. Not quite a "full-blown" interchange as often dubbed/forecasted by AM730traffic radio. There is still a light-set; it's just been moved to the 72Ave access ramps and affects only (Hwy91-SB to 72Ave-EB) and (72Ave-WB to Hwy91-SB).

The main benefit in the re-design is that Hwy91-NB, with it's higher traffic volume, is no longer interrupted by the original light-set. Also better for (Hwy91-SB to 72Ave-EB)) and (72Ave-WB to Hwy91-SB) as they no longer have to wait for Hwy91-NB to stop.

With development and population expected to increase in the 72Ave area, I expect there will one day be a calling for dedicated fly-over ramps as the light-set becomes inadequate for modulating the increased traffic volume.

I was expecting something more free-flowing like the 64Ave interchange, but IDK; maybe there were space or costs restraints. Anyways, this does work better for now, and will hopefully reduce the incidence and severity of collisions. The original design was a recipe for disaster of the severest kind and should never have been implemented in the first place.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Joe Fraser

Went and toured the interchange last night. Not quite a "full-blown" interchange as often dubbed/forecasted by AM730traffic radio. There is still a light-set; it's just been moved to the 72Ave access ramps and affects only (Hwy91-SB to 72Ave-EB) and (72Ave-WB to Hwy91-SB).

The main benefit in the re-design is that Hwy91-NB, with it's higher traffic volume, is no longer interrupted by the original light-set. Also better for (Hwy91-SB to 72Ave-EB)) and (72Ave-WB to Hwy91-SB) as they no longer have to wait for Hwy91-NB to stop.

With development and population expected to increase in the 72Ave area, I expect there will one day be a calling for dedicated fly-over ramps as the light-set becomes inadequate for modulating the increased traffic volume.

I was expecting something more free-flowing like the 64Ave interchange, but IDK; maybe there were space or costs restraints. Anyways, this does work better for now, and will hopefully reduce the incidence and severity of collisions. The original design was a recipe for disaster of the severest kind and should never have been implemented in the first place.

When is it open to traffic then?

[ssiguy]

I drove by the other day and was dumfounded to see it will still have a light. BC seems to cheap out on every road infrastructure project. You really start to wonder why BC seems to go out of it`s way to make driving as difficult as humanely possible.

[Metro-One]

I am not sure how you personally define “full blown” interchange but the vast majority of interchanges in the world have traffic lights (look at nearly every diamond interchange in the world) or stop signs or roundabouts on the secondary route / ramps. As long as the primary route is free flow (in this case the 91) it is an interchange.

What you are thinking of are full free flow interchanges which are usually only implemented when a freeway meets a freeway (or very major secondary highway).

The new traffic light on the overpass will only have two movements (the old one had three which included blocking the freeway, hence it wasn’t a true interchange) so it should be able to handle traffic flow well.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I drove by the other day and was dumfounded to see it will still have a light. BC seems to cheap out on every road infrastructure project. You really start to wonder why BC seems to go out of it`s way to make driving as difficult as humanely possible.

You were dumbfounded? You never once looked at the renders / diagrams / picture updates on this thread?

Even the very basic shape of the project is an obvious half diamond which always use traffic lights / stop signs on the secondary route, even outside of BC!

[nickbeaulieu]

I'm pretty sure they "Cheaped out" in order to not have to damage the bog. That was a major block for years on this project.

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I drove by the other day and was dumfounded to see it will still have a light. BC seems to cheap out on every road infrastructure project. You really start to wonder why BC seems to go out of it`s way to make driving as difficult as humanely possible.

[osirisboy]

I don't think 72nd was ever supposed to free flow to and from the 91. What the hell are people thinking interchanges are? They all have lights or stop signs at them. And people thinking there will need to be flyover?! Wtf?

[Dengler Avenue]

Would it have been better if where the lights will be, there’s a roundabout (yes, a roundabout in the air) instead?

[moosejaw]

This interchange was budgeted at $30 million
What were you expecting for the money? A free flow interchange?
I dont even live there and knew what was coming!

[moosejaw]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Would it have been better if where the lights will be, there’s a roundabout (yes, a roundabout in the air) instead?

A roundabout would have necessitated two flyovers and probably double(almost) the cost

[cabotp]

I don't think people realize that now that the traffice going NB-91 has been eliminated from the light. Now the main flow of traffic will be SB-91 to EB-72. This means the light will just stay green constantly in that direction. The only time it has to turn red is when a vehicle is WB-72 and wants to turn left to go SB-91. In that case then the vehicle would just trip the sensor and the light would switch to green for them and then drive one. 10 seconds later if no other vehicles come or after a certain amount of vehicles that are sensed by the sensor. The light then goes red and we go back to the constant green for SB-91 to EB-72.

The bigger concern is going to be the lights at 112, 116, and scott rd. Those lights were already backing up big time even with the break in traffic at the old light on 91 and 72nd. With the new light there won't be that much of a break. And I wouldn't be surprised to see 72nd back up worse than before. But I'm only guessing on that part. I think this is why delta is looking to expand 72nd to a 4 lane road up to scott rd.

[Dengler Avenue]

Has the city considered roundabouts to deal with those 2 lights? Or is traffic way too heavy for those?

[Firebrand]

Originally Posted by cabotp

The bigger concern is going to be the lights at 112, 116, and scott rd. Those lights were already backing up big time even with the break in traffic at the old light on 91 and 72nd. With the new light there won't be that much of a break. And I wouldn't be surprised to see 72nd back up worse than before. But I'm only guessing on that part. I think this is why delta is looking to expand 72nd to a 4 lane road up to scott rd.

Now I’m wandering how the traffic on SB 91 will be affected next year because they’re gonna work on the SFPR/91 Connecter intersection to make it a free-flow intersection instead of having lights. The traffic from Nordel heading westbound and traffic from the bridge heading west will have to continue 91 southbound to go to 99.

At least Delta is doing something to reduce backups on 72nd. If this was Langley they won’t pay to expand the road unless they pay to a developer to do it for them at a cheaper price.

[DKaz]

The province originally wanted no 72 EB to 91 SB movement but Delta was not issuing permits until there was a full movement interchange, hence the light. The 72 EB to 91 SB movement is less than a tenth of what 91 SB to 72 WB gets anyway so it's not like it'll affect traffic all that much, things will still be a whole lot better compared to the intersection.

[libtard]

Originally Posted by DKaz

The province originally wanted no 72 EB to 91 SB movement but Delta was not issuing permits until there was a full movement interchange, hence the light. The 72 EB to 91 SB movement is less than a tenth of what 91 SB to 72 WB gets anyway so it's not like it'll affect traffic all that much, things will still be a whole lot better compared to the intersection.

72 east bound to 91 south bound? How would that work?

[LeftCoaster]

Hovercar over the bog.

Obviously.

[Dengler Avenue]

I think DKaz meant 72nd Avenue west to Highway 91 south.