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There’s been discussions about extending 98B Ave as part of the Holland Pointe development, west of King George Highway. As some may know, the site you see above is set to become the area of a massive complex, including the famed 70 storey tower, developed by the Berezan Group.
The 70 storey tower King George development
This image was found in the preliminary reports on a upgrade to the BC Parkway – a regional greenway that follows the Expo Line SkyTrain – initially built in the 80′s.
Seems like a great upgrade to me. It will facilitate better vehicle movement through the space, which is absolutely horrific at the moment – both the Park and Ride and the Kiss and Ride facilities. Furthermore, it’ll put a safe crossing facility close to King George Station, facilitating better pedestrian, and cyclist, mobility between the SkyTrain station and Holland Park. As some may know, the City installed a fence along the median to prevent people from jaywalking across – meaning a pedestrian would have a long trip either north or south to get to the other side of King George.
What the area currently looks like. Fenced barrier restricting pedestrian access to Holland Park...
Part of me wonders if a pedestrian/cycling overpass of some sort would be appropriate at this spot, and perhaps another near Gateway over King George. While, like yourself, I am generally not a fan of overpasses (the object should be to calm vehicular traffic by forcing it to accommodate other modes of transportation), perhaps something could be built here that is a tad more stylish than your average overpass, and that functions simultaneously as part of a “gateway” effect as one enters the downtown Surrey core. I think that if city planners use some imagination, something very iconic could result – at any rate, something better than the Kingsway overpass near Metrotown.
Wouldn’t mind knowing your opinion on this.
I should add that this infrastructure would be an important step in providing a future seamless cycling/pedestrian/recreation connection between Green Timbers and Holland Park in the city centre.
Nor would an overpass necessarily obviate other traffic-calming and pedestrian improvements to King George. A wide, arching pathway could pass over a widened sidewalk and dedicated bus/LRT lane.
Overpasses tend to do more than just facilitate better vehicular movement – they create dark corners for shady dealings to go down, can completely ruin the streetlife of a block (Calgary!), and there’s no way one can be safe on an overpass at night. Plus they are expensive. I wholeheartedly have to demand that in no way does a pedestrian overpass over get installed here – it we cause more problems than it would solve.
That said, I am quite intrigued by the concept of a gateway – perhaps arching – feature to signify the entrance to the City Centre. Actually the concept has been incorporated into the new plan underway, but they’ve been talking primarily about signature towers both near King George and 108 and King George and 98B. I think it’s a good idea – run with it…
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