Residents on a North Delta Street are once again calling on the city to improve the safety of what they describe as a dangerous roadway.
A petition with signatures from more than 30 households was recently submitted to council requesting improvements to McAdam Road, a local roadway connecting River Road and Brooke Road.
“Over three years ago the McAdam Road folk submitted a petition to council expressing our concern over our street’s hazards. In the intervening three-plus years, the danger has only increased. There are many children living on McAdam Road. Increasingly our road has become a popular shortcut connecting River Road to Nordel Way, and there are many vehicles parked on the road. Parking off the road is impossible due to ditches. We sincerely hope that the 70 years McAdam Road residents have been paying municipal taxes will result in council addressing our safety concerns before a traffic induced catastrophe occurs,” the petition states.
McAdam Road has variable pavement widths with gravel shoulders on both sides.
There are just two existing speed humps for traffic calming on the roadway, which has several grade changes and blind curves.
A staff response to the petition notes that a project is currently at the preliminary design stage, which identified that in addition to roadway reconstruction, there are also significant cost drivers for ditch enclosures and utility upgrades resulting in an estimated project cost exceeding $4 million.
“Given the significant cost requirements, staff are reviewing where this project fits against other competing needs, especially infrastructure projects supporting growth in the city. We are planning bringing this forward for discussion with council during the upcoming budget process as to the relative priority of this project in relation to others identified in our future capital plans,” the memo states.
During council’s discussion on the matter at its Nov. 4 meeting, it was agreed to forward the petition to the city’s Transportation Advisory Committee.
In 2021, council had agreed with an engineering department recommendation to consider funding for the design work required for the McAdam Road Neighbourhood Road Improvement Project at the 2022 Corporate Priorities Workshop.
A staff at that time report noted that, similar to many roads throughout Delta, it was built to the standards of the day, with no sidewalks and roadside ditches for managing storm water.
Council had received another petition from more than 40 homeowners. Following receipt of that petition, engineering staff took a site visit, meeting with some of the residents to discuss their concerns.
The report noted residents requested that Delta provide sidewalks, street lighting, ditch infills and rehabilitation of the pavement on McAdam Road, similar to the Neighbourhood Road Improvement Projects completed elsewhere in the community.
“This is one of the most dangerous roads in Delta and, unfortunately, it sort of escaped all the local improvement programs over the years,” the previous petition stated.
