SURREY City Council approved the Congestion Relief Strategy, 2019 – 2023, at Monday’s regular Council Meeting. The Strategy will deliver approximately $360 million in planned and advanced transportation projects within the City’s 10-Year Servicing Plan (10-YSP), together with new additional projects. With focused delivery of road building initiatives and by taking a Complete Streets approach to road design, Surrey’s Congestion Management Strategy will deliver on its goal of providing a balanced approach to increase trip reliability and predictability no matter how Surrey residents choose to get around.

“In managing the growth of our young and dynamic city, it is imperative that we take a comprehensive approach to manage our transportation networks and ease congestion,” said Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner. “The Congestion Relief Strategy invests in Intelligent Transportation Systems and road safety, and fast-tracks the delivery of key road, transit, walking and cycling improvements that will have the most impact in accomplishing those goals over the next five years.”

“The need for effective and measurable solutions to keep people, goods and services moving is paramount for a fast growing city like Surrey,” said Councillor Tom Gill, Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “In addition to Light Rail Transit, making targeted east-west and north-south corridor improvements, enhancing our regional connections and investing in our highest growth neighbourhoods will directly address residents’ concerns about easing congestion in our city.”

Key outcomes of the Congestion Relief Strategy, 2019-2023 include:

• 120 km of lanes added to the Surrey road network
• 14 km of new protected cycle tracks and multi-use pathways
• 13 intersections with capacity improvements
• 9 km of road improvements not included in the 10-YSP
• 5 km of long term 10-YSP road projects advanced
• 5 new/improved bridges/interchanges with Highway 99 in South Surrey (subject to an agreement with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure on cost-sharing)
• Detectors installed to gather travel time data for better decision-making and enhanced real-time travel information for drivers.

The proposed Congestion Relief Strategy, 2019-2023 will deliver projects identified in the 10-YSP, advance approximately $30 million in long-term projects and add more than $80 Million in additional projects. Staff will work on refining these estimates and identifying funding sources for this budget shortfall and will report back to Council during the 2019 budget process with options.

More information can be found here.