Port Moody scales back Suter Brook traffic improvements to reduce disruption

Port Moody is scaling back some of the more disruptive traffic-calming work planned for Suter Brook Village, with council agreeing a simpler plan would provide similar benefits and allow the long-running project to be completed sooner.

Council unanimously approved a revised Suter Brook Traffic Improvements Plan on July 28, replacing several planned raised intersections and other major reconstruction work with new crosswalk markings, speed humps, raised crosswalks and a 30 kilometres-an-hour speed limit.

Coun. Samantha Agtarap, who lives in the neighbourhood, said she hears often from residents about when the work will be complete.

“I’ve walked around this neighborhood with residents that have accessibility challenges and use accessibility devices,” she said. “It becomes challenging for some people to navigate that area.

“I appreciate that this is going to move ahead”

The city and Onni, the original developer and commercial property owner in Suter Brook Village, have been working on traffic improvements for several years in response to concerns about pedestrian safety, loading, drivers circulating for parking and speeding.

Some work has already been completed, including converting Brew Street to one-way traffic and adding loading zones. Onni has also constructed raised crosswalks and speed humps on Capilano Road and Brew Street, although the city says some deficiencies still require remediation.

The remaining work was supposed to include three raised intersections, curb extensions on Brew Street and reconstruction of the Murray Street and Morrissey Road intersection.

General manager of engineering and operations Jeff Moi told council those improvements would require extensive excavation, drainage work and potentially lengthy road closures.

“You have to dig up the whole intersection, rebuild it at a slightly higher elevation, rebuild the curbs,” Moi said.

Instead, the Murray-Morrissey reconstruction will be replaced by two raised crosswalks, while three planned raised intersections will be replaced with standard crosswalk markings. Curb bulges on Brew Street will also be dropped, while additional speed humps, a raised crosswalk and 30 kilometres-an-hour signage will be added elsewhere.

Staff said the revised plan should provide similar functional traffic benefits while being cheaper, quicker to build and less disruptive to the busy neighbourhood.

The changes are supported by a traffic analysis commissioned by Onni. The study found no current congestion problem in Suter Brook Village and measured an average vehicle speed of 27.5 kilometres an hour. Of 2,137 vehicles studied, four exceeded the existing 50 kilometres-an-hour speed limit.

Onni argued the more extensive work was no longer warranted and would bring lane closures, noise, dust and disruptions to pedestrian access, deliveries and businesses. The company asked the city to instead focus on upgraded pedestrian markings and signs, targeted physical improvements and the lower speed limit.

Moi said changes already made in the neighbourhood, particularly converting Brew Street to one-way traffic, have improved circulation. Staff said remaining concerns are more closely related to pedestrian safety, loading and parking than speeding or intersection capacity.

Mayor Meghan Lahti questioned whether the city could return to the original measures if the revised plan did not produce enough improvement. Moi said that could be difficult once Onni completes the alternative scope, but told council he was confident the revised work would provide sufficient traffic-calming benefits.

Coun. Haven Lurbiecki questioned how the roughly 15-year-old development ended up with ongoing traffic and accessibility problems.

Moi said lessons have been learned around loading, parking and circulation. He also pointed to the village’s paver roads, saying faded paving and a lack of raised features can make some crosswalks difficult to identify. The revised plan will add standard crosswalk markings.

Lurbiecki said those lessons should inform future developments.

“It just needs to get done,” she said. “If this is the best way forward, then fine. It just needs to get done.”

The traffic-calming work fulfills a development requirement for Onni that originally called for a traffic signal at Ioco and Capilano roads. The signal was later determined to be infeasible, and Onni posted an $800,000 letter of credit to secure completion of the replacement traffic improvements.