Work on a $6.2 million overhaul of 203 Street that includes the very first traffic roundabout in Langley City and the widening of the bridge across the Nicomekl River is set to begin this Monday.
Warning signs have been posted up and down the corridor, warning drivers to find alternate routes while construction is underway.
The bridge will be closed to traffic on Aug. 22 and is not expected to reopen until January of next year.
Plans call for seismic upgrades and widening of the 40-year-old bridge, a traffic circle at 203 Street and 53 Avenue, wider sidewalks and bicycle lanes on both sides of 203.
The bridge will be widened by approximately 1.65 meters on both sides and new bridge supports will be installed within the Nicomekl River floodplain.
A notice on the city website warns residents to expect four to six week of pile driving as part of the seismic upgrades to the bridge.
Coast Mountain will also be re-routing several buses including the C60 Langley Centre, C61 Brookswood, C63 Langley Centre, C63 Fernridge, C64 Langley Centre., C64 Willowbrook, 590 Langley Centre and 590 Langley South.
Riders are being advised to check "translink alerts" on the www.translink.ca website for details.
The project was funded through a mix of federal, provincial and municipal money.
The estimated total value of $6.2 million includes all related expenses such as water main work, consultants' fees and contingency funding. Article continues below map.
City of Langley map of affected area
Here, in response to a Times query, is the city case for the roundabout at at 53 Ave and 203 St.
· Improved safety – fatal car accidents can be reduced by up to 90 per cent and non-fatal by 75 per cent
· Reduced Capital Cost - Avoids need to replace existing aging traffic signal which is currently at that point in its life cycle
· Traffic calming – Drivers must slow down and yield to traffic before entering a roundabout. Speeds in the roundabout are typically between 25 and 35 Kilometers per hour. The few collisions that occur in roundabouts are typically minor and cause few injuries since they occur at such low speeds. There is also no light to beat so vehicle speeds are also reduced leading up to the roundabout
· Less Air and Noise Pollution – Vehicles entering a roundabout must yield at entry, but are not required to stop if the roundabout is clear. This eliminates some stop-and-go traffic associated with a stop sign or traffic signal controlled intersections. This leads to fewer vehicles idling while stopped at an intersection, which reduces the amount of vehicle emissions. Additionally, slow moving traffic makes less noise than traffic that stops and starts, resulting in quieter neighbourhoods
This is the first traffic circle within the boundaries of Langley City. Langley Township already has roundabouts.