Residents raise concerns about increased traffic from proposed River Road property development

At a public hearing Tuesday night, some Maple Ridge residents said they were concerned that a nine-lot development would increase traffic flow into the neighbourhood, especially by Maple Ridge Elementary.

The proposed River Road development — which would create a subdivision with eight single detached lots on 209 Street and one duplex on River Road — would extend Golf Lane to 209 Street.

A neighbourhood resident said that while he was in favour of building more housing, he was concerned “impatient drivers” would cut down Golf Lane by Maple Ridge Elementary.

“And every day there are lots of kids walking straight down the middle of that road,” which he said is narrow and without a sidewalk.

“So if you allow cars to cut through Golf Lane and not turn left on to 209 you will see kids getting hit on Golf Lane in the 207 100 block,” he said.

He said he’d prefer if it was opened only to emergency vehicles, but suggested other safety possibilities like sidewalks or speed bumps to slow traffic.

“If you’re going to do this, if you must open that to general vehicular traffic. . . You need to do something about Golf Lane further down,” he said.

Mayor Dan Ruimy said staff are aware of this,

“We know we need to continue working on that area for traffic, for all the reasons that you have just stated.”

Another resident who lives near the development raised similar concerns.

“The traffic is going to turn the neighbourhood into a mess,” he said, adding he too would like the development to go forward, but also wanted the road to only be opened for emergency use and not for traffic on a regular basis.

Ruimy noted that city is working towards “a greater picture” regarding traffic, with things like Bus Rapid Transit.

“We have to look at this in a holistic manner, not just one street, but the whole city, because it all feeds into the challenges that you are talking about,” said Ruimy.

At a development information meeting hosted in November 2023, nine people attended, where similar concerns were raised about through traffic.

City staff’s response was that the Golf Lane extension to 209 Street has been planned since the mid-90s for both emergency access and to improve traffic circulation.