New Pattullo Bridge needs 6 lanes, Surrey Roads Survey finds

While the Lower Mainland didn’t get the snow it was fearing overnight Wednesday, it doesn’t mean your drive to work or school is going to be easy.

The Surrey Board of Trade (SBoT) is calling for some major improvements to vehicle infrastructure in its region as the city continues to be the fastest-growing city in the Lower Mainland.

In its 2023 Surrey Roads Survey, the SBoT found that although fewer people drive their own vehicles to get to work, many more folks are carpooling in the region. The survey found that only 4.5 per cent of respondents use transit, while 2.3 per cent walk to work.

The survey found that the majority of respondents spend somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes in traffic during their average commute one-way.

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Those surveyed in the area find the biggest improvements are needed at the 152 Street Overpass of Highway 99, 80 Avenue needs to be widened to four lanes from 132 Street to King George Boulevard, and 64 Avenue also needs to be widened to four lanes from 177 Street and 184 Street.

“Surrey is spread out geographically, and the ability for commuters to use bicycling as a transportation option is not efficient to get to and from work. More respondents were willing to bicycle to work if given safe infrastructure,” the board of trade said.

The survey also found that the support for a new Pattullo Bridge with six lanes is strongly recommended, as is replacing the Massey Tunnel with a bridge.

However, the survey also found that those polled believe that Surrey “should have” and “definitely needs” better east-west bus services across Surrey, along with new and increased bus services that aren’t currently served by transit. Pollsters also say the city needs enhanced bus shelters with benches and sidewalk access improvements.

Due to the survey, the SBoT is recommending that the planning of all major infrastructure projects needs to anticipate growing population needs and that governments of all levels need to work together to “develop a comprehensive and sustainable interregional transit/transportation plan for the South Fraser Economic Region, that would not change with election cycles.”