The city is budgeting money to add traffic signals at two intersections and look into solutions for Gladys Avenue’s pavement problems.
A new traffic signal at Abbotsford Way and South Fraser Way, just north of the Greyhound bus station, is among the projects included in staff’s preliminary budget presented to council last week. Peter Sparanese, the city’s general manager of engineering, said data shows the site is the unsignalized junction most due for an upgrade. The project is anticipated to cost $190,000
Across town, another stoplight is planned for the Marshall Road/Foy Street intersection. That signal is needed by industrial construction in the area, and $200,000 in funding is coming from development charges.
Elsewhere, staff want to plan and design a rebuilt Gladys Avenue from Cyril Street to South Fraser Way. “Half the roadway is in fairly distressed condition,” in part because of the underlying soil, Sparanese said. Staff have requested $100,000 to design improvements to the road.
Staff have also requested another $1.4 million to finalize the design of the widening of Blue Jay Street between Cardinal Avenue and Maclure Road and to acquire any property needed. The city wants to increase the lanes from three to four on the busy stretch of road in order to allow for “double left-turns.” The route provides one of the main access points to HighStreet Shopping Centre.