Twenty years ago, the City of Surrey set out to develop the Grandview Heights area (east of Highway 99 to 176 Street between the U.S. border and 40 Avenue). They sought public input and developed an Official Community Plan (OCP) for this area.
The virtual blank slate provided a unique opportunity to balance types of housing with open spaces, schools and transportation/roads.
In the last decade, we have seen the OCP for density discarded with each new development proposal approved, with massive density increases many times the original OCP plan.
The Grandview Heights area is feeling the stress significant higher density places on people.
Sunnyside Elementary, a two-year-old school, already has portables. The entry/exit roads into Morgan Crossing shopping centre are continually clogged up. The main arteries of travel (24 and 32 Avenues, and 160 and 168 Streets) have never been fully upgraded and residents are constantly inconvenienced.
One wonders if they ever will upgrade these main roads. These should have been upgraded before the major development we all must now contend with.
The 32 Avenue entry/exit to Highway 99 is a planning disaster that can not handle the traffic load at even the most off-times now.
Major intersections now require the more expensive over/under passes to try and accommodate this increased traffic caused by this massive higher density.
The City of Surrey had a blank slate and have already destroyed what could have been a model for sustainable and liveable development.
Surrey council should respect the OCP density on the remaining undeveloped lands and show some respect for Grandview Heights citizens.
Expand the main connecting roads on 24 and 32 Avenues plus 160 and 168 Streets now.
Ted Willmer, Surrey