The City of Delta has issued a request for proposals for a preliminary and detailed design for roadway improvements along 112 Street in East Ladner, between Ladner Trunk Road and the Highway 99 Overpass.
The rural roadway, located north of the Boundary Bay Dike and not classified as a truck or a bus route, is to undergo several upgrades including pavement rehabilitation.
The project is part of the city’s Rural Road Improvements Program, created in 2019, to improve accessibility and mobility for vehicles and cyclists, including addressing aging roads and narrow shoulders. The city’s 2024 financial plan has $1 million set aside for the program.
A previous engineering department report notes Delta’s agricultural roads have deteriorated and it’s time to address the problem.
The types of vehicles using rural roads have changed due to an increase in heavy trucks servicing greenhouses, dairy operations and agricultural distribution centres.
“The condition of rural roads in Delta varies from site to site, but in general most rural roads will require extensive pavement removal, sub-grade re-construction and re-paving to address the pavement condition,” the report explained.
Delta’s rural roads have become popular with cyclists, according to the report, which also notes that most are narrow and have ditches on either side, making it difficult and costly to widen them to provide dedicated cycling lanes.
The engineering department instead has proposed shared travel lanes so the amount of widening required is reduced.
Staff brought forward a list of rehabilitation projects over several years based on funding of $1 million annually for the program. The list was developed from a pavement management study and resident requests.
The preliminary design component for the 112 Street project is to be completed by June 30, 2024. Tendering for the construction is to commence this July, while construction is to take place this August to December.
