Traffic counts done by the City of Pitt Meadows on Old Dewdney Trunk Road show that commuters are once again using the scenic route to bypass congested Lougheed Highway.
Figures released Tuesday show that traffic east of Harris Road on Old Dewdney increased by eight per cent, climbing to 11,171 vehicles a day in 2011 from 10,273 in 2010.
On the stretch west of Harris Road, traffic decreased by four per cent, dropping to 11,579 vehicles a day in 2011 compared to 12,097 the year before.
Staff attributed the increase on the eastern stretch of Old Dewdney to continued congestion and backups on Lougheed Hwy. east of Harris Road.
“The congestion at these at-grade intersections has not been altered with the introduction of either one of the two new bridges and to avoid this ... vehicles continue to use Old Dewdney Trunk Road,” city engineering services co-ordinator Ike de Boer said in a report to council.
Although daily totals on Old Dewdney west of Harris Rd. have dropped, traffic volumes during peak periods remain high.
The increase in traffic on the eastern stretch support the city’s push for an alternate road - the North Lougheed Connector.
Other roads in Pitt Meadows are also seeing a drop in traffic.
Hammond Road, west of the Katzie Slough, has seen a 15 per cent decrease in total traffic, or 1,471 fewer cars a day.
Harris Rd., south of Lougheed Hwy., has seen traffic volumes drop by 18 per cent, or 4,168 cars a day.
City staff can’t pinpoint a reason for the decreases.
Traffic on Park Road remained steady from 2010 to 2011 with around 4,000 cars using the stretch every day.
Commuters are also using Airport Way, which has seen a steady increase in traffic since it opened in May 2009. Traffic there has increased by 31 per cent, or 2,556 cars since 2010.