It may be two years behind schedule, but the new intersection at Highway 99 and Commercial Way has still come too soon for some local trail users. And Highway 99 drivers are already noticing long vehicle line-ups since the lights were activated Wednesday (Aug. 6), according to reports.The traffic lights may be making it easier for drivers to turn directly into Wal-Mart or Home Depot, but they are just one more deterrent for users of the Discovery Trail, who find themselves slowed down and sometimes endangered when crossing a wide intersection."We've definitely got quite an impediment on the Discovery Trail," said Squamish Trails Society vice-president Shawn Gosnell. He said the trails society opposes the activation of the intersection but will nevertheless be upgrading the stretch of trail between two intersections at Industrial Way and Commercial Way in hopes of encouraging trail use. If the trail becomes more popular, he said, council might be moved to develop a better solution at both crossings."If more people are using it I think there will be a little more pressure," he said.As it stands, trail users will have to exit the trail and follow the edge of Commercial Way to continue along the trail. "Pedestrians and cyclists will have to cross six lanes of traffic in three stages," said cycling enthusiast Ron Enns.After reaching the highway at Commercial Way, trail users would cross a turning lane and reach an island. Then, they would cross to a second island and proceed past another turning lane where they would link back into the trail across the road. For those heading south, this routine would be immediately repeated at Industrial Way.Community development director Mick Gottardi said he could not confirm whether the intersection will be pedestrian-activated. Without such a system, trail users would have to wait for the light to turn green for highway drivers. To avoid this hassle, Enns said he'd prefer to have seen an underpass for trail users built under Commercial Way. Gosnell said simply building bridges connecting the trail with the pedestrian crossing could make the crossing smoother and safer for trail users. The bridges would eliminate the need to walk up the edge of Commercial Way to link in with the signalized crossing.Council will consider how to make the crossing more user friendly this fall, said Gottardi. "Staff is going to bring a report to council on the pedestrian bridges both for Commercial Way and Industrial Way," he said. Council is already familiar with the idea of small bridges. Last April, they considered using Development Cost Charges for a proposed commercial building on Industrial Way to construct two small bridges that would connect the Discovery Trail to the Industrial Way pedestrian crossing, simplifying the maneuver. The bridges carried an estimated cost of $100,000 each.However, council opted not to commit the money specifically to the bridges because of other road concerns that also needed attention and some doubts about how much the trail is used.Under this price formula, improving both intersections for trail users would cost $400,000.Although the intersection was slated to open in the fall of 2006, its activation has been delayed until now because of complications with the highway expansion, Gottardi said.With current traffic levels, Industrial Way is able to handle the highway traffic but once Parallax lands are developed north of Wal-Mart the lights will be necessary, Gottardi said. Unfortunately for Enns, the district cannot wait until the area is developed to turn on the lights."We have commitments to pursue the opening of the intersection as early as possible," Gottardi said.Gottardi could not give exact figures, but said owners of Parallax lands, Home Depot, Wal-Mart and the district, paid for the cost of the intersection. According to purchase agreements, Parallax covered 23 per cent of the intersection costs, while Wal-Mart andHome Depot contributed 18 and seven per cent, respectively. This left the district footing more than half the bill.While the lights went into flashing mode on Wednesday (Aug. 6) they will turn fully functional over the weekend, leaving trail users like Enns feeling high and dry on a series of intersection islands.Ministry of Transportation representatives said they were not available to discuss the intersection due to time constraints following the Highway 99 rockslide at Porteau Cove Tuesday, July 31.
