Transportation and Transit
Based on further technical work and feedback received to date from the public and stakeholders, the ministry will present two refined options for the new McKenzie Interchange at today’s public open house.
“We’ve received considerable input from the public about traffic flow at the interchange, congestion at the McKenzie/Burnside intersection, park impacts, and accommodation of transit, cycling and pedestrians,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone. “The public and stakeholder input has been invaluable and has helped us fine-tune the two remaining options, which will be made available for further public comment today.”
The ministry made a number of changes to incorporate the public’s input into the two designs that are being presented today. For example, the public showed strong support for an efficient interchange with the highway going under McKenzie/Admirals, noting concerns about visual impact, highway noise, extended construction schedule and higher costs. Based on this feedback, the ministry is no longer considering the option with the highway going over McKenzie/Admirals.
(flickr.com) The project team heard that the community wants to see improvements to the McKenzie/Burnside intersection included in the project. In response, the design has been revised to add an additional southbound lane on McKenzie through the Burnside intersection, combined with a dual right-turn lane to the Trans-Canada Highway westbound.
The project team also received feedback around facilitating and encouraging transit use and, as such, additional work has been done to show the bus-on-shoulder lanes, transit stop locations, and how the corridor will be protected for possible future LRT. Other areas where input has been applied include the grades and connections of the pedestrian and cyclist facilities, and ways to mitigate the impact to the park land.
(flickr.com) Strong opposition was voiced regarding the use of roundabouts at this location. Combined with the results of additional technical analysis, there will be no roundabouts included in the McKenzie Interchange project.
The open house runs from 3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Parish Hall, 753 Burnside Road West. For those who can’t attend in person, information and an opportunity for feedback can be found at: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/mckenzieinterchange/
(flickr.com) You may also send comments or questions to the project team by phoning 250 387-8700 or e-mailing: mckenzieinterchange@gov.bc.ca
Input on this phase will be gathered until March 18. Feedback from this round will be considered, along with technical and financial information, as the ministry moves forward to select the preferred option and finalize the design. Discussions with key stakeholders including local governments and community associations are continuing, and the project is on track for construction to begin later this year.
Quick Facts:
- $85 million in provincial and federal funding for this new interchange was announced on July 22, 2015.
- The first open house was held Nov. 17, 2015, with 610 attendees.
- More than 1,100 pieces of feedback were received during the first round of engagement.
Learn More:
http://engage.gov.bc.ca/mckenzieinterchange/
