Most Abbotsford and Mission residents have seen the corridor-widening improvements along Old Yale Road from Marshall Road to Dina Place.
Those are among the 12 road improvement projects ICBC invested in for Abbotsford and Mission in 2010.
ICBC launched the road improvement program in 1989 and since then, has invested approximately $100 million in projects across B.C. In 2010, ICBC invested approximately $2.6 million in projects in the Fraser Valley.
“Safer roads lead to fewer crashes and help prevent injuries and death, which also translates into lower claims costs and helps keep rates stable for our customers,” said ICBC’s John Pump, manager of the road improvement program.
A 2009 independent evaluation concluded that for every dollar invested, ICBC and customers see a return five to 12 times the investment.
For example, in Abbotsford, ICBC invested $36,000 for improvements that included channelization enhancements and improved signage, delineation and pavement markings on Highway 11 from Clayburn Road to Harris Road. The 2009 evaluation showed the improvements resulted in a 61 per cent drop in property damage claims and a 49 per cent drop in severe injury crashes, saving $221,900 over two years and $548,900 over five years.
Projects underway or completed in 2010 in Abbotsford include:
- Old Yale Road – Marshall Road to Dina Place, corridor widening
- Marshall Road and Horizon Street, traffic signal installation
- George Ferguson Way and Trethewey Street, left-turn lanes installed
- Industrial Avenue – McCallum Road to Highway 11, corridor improvements
- Area wide, 14 locations, signal visibility upgrades
- Whatcom Road and Mountain Drive, traffic calming measures
- Highway 11 at Old Clayburn Road, traffic signal installation
- Highway 1 at Whatcom Road, traffic signal installation