Sunbury Neighbourhood Association

Presentation to Kevin Falcon – July 10, 2006

We believe there needs to be a new road.

The traffic has to move.  We agree that we need a truck route for the Port traffic.

• We have been trying to get truck traffic off River Road for 20 years.
• We think there is a better route than Gateway’s current route.

 

The current route has the following negative impacts:

• Environment:

·        Burns Bog

o       The lungs of the Lower Mainland

o       Unique ecosystem – very vulnerable

·        Fraser River

o       Already under threat

o       Heart of the Province

·        Foreshore and Ravines from Deas Island to Golden Ears Bridge

o       Seven protected Ravines from Alex Fraser to Elevator Road

o       Vital fish habitat, bird and wildlife habitats

 

·        Neighbourhood Impacts

·                    Sunbury Annieville surrounded by Highways – SFPR / Nordel Way

o       2000 homes

o       5000 people

o       3 schools

o       Long-term stable neighbourhood – People are committed to this neighbourhood and will fight for it.

·                    Property values will decline / properties will transition to rental

·                    Oldest Neighbourhood south of the Fraser – Homes and residents for the past 100 years.

·                    St Mungo archeological site is an indicator of what construction will find wherever they dig – 8,000 years of history.

·                    Air Quality / Light Pollution / Sound Pollution all negatively impact our neighbourhood.

·                    75 homes planned to be expropriated in our neighbourhood 

Your Gateway proposal will kill the environment and kill our neighbourhood.

The Tunnel Proposal – A better alternative:

• Tunnel from Elevator Road to Nordel Way / Highway 91 eliminates the above negative impacts:
  • Bog - No further impact on Bog
  • Fraser River - Moves air pollution, construction and transportation accidents away from the River
  • Foreshore – Trees and Ravines left intact – Bog through Langley river ecosystem maintained
  • Sunbury Annieville freed from traffic on the north side of the community.
  • Property values protected.
  • Heritage Homes and Archaeological Sites protected.
  • Air, Light and Sound Pollution are in the tunnel.

 

Business Case:

• Reduced distance, no elevations – saves gas.
• Weather-Protected roadway – longer life, lower maintenance.
• Gateway says tunnel is technically feasible.
• The tunnel costs more, but that funding can be found in Ottawa.
• Federal funding for Port infrastructure – gas tax, container tax – users should pay for the road they require.
• Two MP’s (John Cummins, Sukh Dhaliwal) ready to go to Ottawa to get the funding.
• $200 million difference between North Delta road cost and North Delta tunnel route.
• Does BC have the vision to build the right road for our Province?

 The visionary tunnel proposal saves the environment and saves our neighbourhood.