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Maple Ridge road among worst in B.C.

Potholes and crumbling pavement main concerns on Maple Crescent, improvements already planned.
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Dean Hajum (left) and Eric Phillips want safety improvements to the intersection of Lorne Avenue and Maple Crescent.

Relax, Maple Ridge public works is on it, and Maple Crescent will be fixed soon.

The section of road near Lorne Avenue is on BCAA’s fourth annual Worst Roads survey, released last week.

Maple Crescent ranks eighth as one of the 10 worst roads in the province.

Silver Star Road in Vernon drew the most votes because of its crumbling pavement and potholes, while Westside Road in Kelowna was judged the second worst in the province because of its lack of pedestrian or cyclist safety.

On Maple Crescent, potholes and crumbling pavement are the main concern.

The road is already due for some repairs, though, says the District of Maple Ridge.

An open house took place in May to show people the plans for a sidewalk along Lorne Avenue, from Maple Crescent to Princess Street.

A four-way stop sign is also planned at the corner of Maple Cres. and Lorne Ave.

“The engineering team has indicated that the four-way stop will be implemented during the summer, and that the design and tender for the new sidewalks will be completed shortly so the work can be done in late summer and early fall,” Mayor Ernie Daykin said in a release.

Hammond residents have been asking for help for a few years, said Eric Phillips.

He, along with the Hammond elementary parent advisory council and RCMP have been asking for a sidewalk on Lorne Ave. The four-way stop sign will allow Hammond kids to get to Hammond elementary.

Originally, the district offered an asphalt sidewalk with a concrete curb. But residents wanted a concrete sidewalk, which they now have.

“We’re happy with the sidewalk. We’ve got the design we wanted.”

Phillips still wants Maple Cres. improved with sidewalks and repaving.

Golden Ears Bridge and the West Coast Express Maple Meadows station both pour vehicles on to the road.

“It’s an unsafe area. You get some of these trucks coming around and they’re on the wrong side of the road,” Phillips said.

“You can always tell when the train comes in because it’s like a run of lemmings along Maple Crescent.”

Improvements to Maple Cres. may have to wait, though, for completion of the Hammond area plan, now underway.

Public works general manager Frank Quinn said people gave their input about the improvements on Lorne Ave. at a May 26 meeting. Design work has taken place for the last year.

“The open house on May 26 was the final stage in moving from concept to the implementation,” Quinn said in the release.

“It is gratifying that the community had identified a solution to this issue even before the list was revealed by BCAA.

“The improvements are intended to enhance safety for students going to and from Hammond elementary and allow pedestrians and cyclists a safer connection to access bike routes and park facilities in the northern part of Hammond neighbourhood.”

Nearly 6,200 votes were cast in the online survey (bcaa.com/worstroads ), distributed among 1,277 separate stretches of roads around the province.

Westside Road, voted worst road two years running, has recently seen a $6.5-million upgrade by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

The George Masse Tunnel in Richmond and the Pattullo Bridge in New Westminster also made the top 10 list because of traffic congestion.