A crowd gathered at Port Coquitlam city hall this week got a reality check about future traffic to and from Coquitlam's Burke Mountain.
About 30 residents - many living around Cedar Drive and Prairie Avenue - jeered at councillors and staff after being told the planned Fremont connector would carry up to five times more cars during peak hours when Burke is built out to 20,000 residents.
"Put it through your backyard," an angry resident yelled out at Wednesday's joint meeting of Smart Growth and Transportation Solutions and Public Works committees.
The special meeting was held to review findings of a new study looking at options to link Burke Mountain with Lougheed Highway. Six possible routes are up for discussion: three south of Prairie Avenue to Lougheed and three north of Prairie to Burke.
All have major agricultural, environmental, residential land and financial impacts, said Laura Lee Richard, PoCo's director of development services.
In general, the possible routes to Prairie would follow Burns Road from the Dominion Triangle; however, north of the Carnoustie Golf Course is where three potential branches lie:
with a curved road to replace the existing intersection at Prairie;
with a new road north of the Riverside Drive extension to align with Devon Road;
or with a new road north of the Riverside Drive extension to align with a route beside the BC Hydro right-of-way.
And north of Prairie to the Coquitlam border, the possibilities are:
a connection via Devon Road to Lincoln Avenue;
a new road to Lincoln Avenue beside Fremont and the BC Hydro right-of-way;
or up Cedar Drive to Victoria Drive.
Richard weighed the pros and cons of each route, saying, "A decision will be made by city council when it's ready" and after further public consultation early next year.
Coquitlam city staff will also be given a copy of the latest study for comment, she said, although she made it clear Coquitlam city managers are set on a new arterial that would directly link with Fremont Street, on the Coquitlam side.
"Coquitlam is only interested in Fremont? I can make a comment on that but it wouldn't be polite so I won't say it. I'm interested in our community," said PoCo Coun. Brad West, drawing applause.
Asked by a committee member if Coquitlam would foot the multi-million-dollar bill for a new road given that the connector is driven by Burke development, engineering and operations director Kristen Meersman was blunt. "We can always ask but the answer will be 'no,'" she said.
"The reality is that all of us travel throughout the Lower Mainland," said the committee chair, Coun. Darrell Penner. "We have to look at the region as a whole Noah didn't want the flood but he built the ark. Traffic is going to come regardless."
Coun. Glenn Pollock said he hopes PoCo city council reaches a decision soon as he's frustrated with the length of the process.
"This is a no-win situation," he added. "There's going to be people affected."
For details on the route evaluations or to make online comments, go to portcoquitlam.ca/eastfremont.
@jwarrenTC
