FAQs »
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the purpose of the project?
A: The purpose of the project is to improve safety and provide better access to key amenities and the surrounding community. At the same time, it will better accommodate cyclists, pedestrians, ride-share participants, and future transit plans.
Q: Do we really need a new interchange?
A: Abbotsford is one of the fastest growing communities in British Columbia and the increase in traffic exceeds the current capacity of the interchange (built in 1960), causing significant congestion, delays and traffic queuing during peak travel periods which contribute to a number of crashes a year at this location. As a result, the local community has long expressed its wishes and concerns regarding this area, and has stated a preference that the improvements are carried out sooner rather than later.
Q: Doesn’t this encourage more traffic/single-occupant vehicles when we’re supposed to be ‘going green’?
A: The interchange project will better accommodate cyclists and pedestrians, as well as improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and result in more efficient energy use due to travel time savings and a reduction of idling / stop-and-go traffic. There may also be a reduction in the noise caused by stop-and-go traffic.
Q: How will private property be affected?
A: Efforts are being made to avoid and mitigate local property impacts. Existing noise levels will be measured, future noise levels resulting from the new design will be assessed, and noise reduction strategies will be applied where warranted by the Ministry’s noise policy.
Q: What is going to happen to the roads or on- and off-ramps that are no longer needed?
A: Any portions of road that are no longer needed for the interchange will be reclaimed by removing the asphalt and re-planting the area with grass seed.
Q: What is going to happen to any vacant land in the corners of the interchange?
A: Any land no longer required to accommodate roads or on- and off-ramps will remain the property of the Province. The Province currently has no plans to dispose of any land rendered surplus through the re-construction of the interchange. In fact, based on a preliminary assessment, there will be little excess land with development potential.
Q: What is the cost of the project?
A: Approximately $25 million, depending on final design. The project will be cost shared between the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the federal government (up to $16.6 million) with the remainder funded by the City of Abbotsford through development cost charges.
Q: When will it be built?
A: Detailed design will be completed in early 2010, to be followed by construction from Spring 2010 to Spring 2011.
Q: How will traffic be handled during construction?
A: The City will work with stakeholders regarding traffic management and construction phasing. Efforts will be made to minimize impacts to local and seasonal tourist traffic.
Q: How much opportunity is being provided for public input?
A: Advertisements soliciting public input were published in the Abbotsford News in November, on the city Page. Once preliminary design concepts are developed, a public information meeting will be booked to obtain additional public input.
Q: Will there be an opportunity for the public to view plans before construction?
A: Final designs will be displayed on the project website at www.clearbrookInterchange.ca. Construction plans, including traffic delay/detour notifications, will also be posted.
Q: Can future LRT or other rapid transit modes be accommodated?
A: Yes, the design of the new overpass will include provisions for future expansion of Highway 1 for three lanes in each direction, giving Highway planners the option of considering High Occupancy Vehicle or Rapid Transit lanes in the future.
Q: Why is the City considering roundabouts in the design? They are uncommon in British Columbia.
A: Roundabouts give better continuous traffic flow than signals do, thereby reducing idling and lowering emissions. They also experience a lower frequency and severity of collisions. Because of these advantages, they are becoming more common in British Columbia and elsewhere in North America. More information on roundabouts is on the Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure website (www.gov.bc.ca/tran).
Q: What's happening with the McCallum Road interchange re-construction?
A: The City of Abbotsford, Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada recently announced $25 million worth of improvements to the McCallum Road Interchange. Please visit the project website at mccalluminterchange.com for further details.
