Editor: On March 31, the British Columbia government and the Township of Langley held the second joint open house regarding the proposed interchange at 216 Street.
The plans for the interchange were laid out in some detail, with the provincial government asking for comments mostly on the accessorizing of the highway with sound barriers and stream remediation.
There was no discussion about whether the interchange would be better placed elsewhere, such as Glover Road where the overpass has been hit numerous times by transport trucks.
I asked about the possibility of load limits for 216 Street north of the highway, because it is essentially a residential neighbourhood with two schools and a pedestrian-oriented parkway along the pipeline easement.
I was told by Township staff that north of the highway, 216 Street from approximately 83 Avenue to 88 Avenue is not yet designated as a truck route. In order for trucks to use the exit at 216 to travel through Walnut Grove along 88 or 96 Avenues, Township Council will have to pass a bylaw designating the portion from 83 Avenue to 88 Avenue as a truck route.
Trucks already have a route to Golden Ears Way and to Port Kells. There is no good reason for allowing them to travel through a residential neighbourhood to get to those destinations, especially if, as Township staff postulated, the major reason that the 200 Street interchange is experiencing congestion issues is because of the amount of car traffic.
The public was able to stop 208 Street from being designated as a truck route. We should be able to do the same thing for 216 Street to keep transport trucks from being dumped into Walnut Grove.
Let’s keep trucks away from our homes, our students and pedestrians and say no to a truck route along 216 Street.
Christine Burdeniuk,
Walnut Grove