District of Squamish crews will soon be constructing $750,000 worth of improvements at the intersection of Garibaldi Way and Tantalus Road in Garibaldi Estates.
The muni says these improvements, funded by the capital projects budget, will make this area safer for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles in this high-traffic area.
According to the ICBC crash map, there were nine serious collisions at the intersection between 2020 and 2021.
Traffic modelling estimates that completing these safety and traffic flow improvements will result in approximately one additional car per minute travelling on Diamond Head Road between Garibaldi Way and Diamond Road during peak hours on Friday and Sunday between 3 and 7 p.m.
The District has outlined the upgrades as creating:
• One-way traffic on Tantalus Road South (in the southbound direction) between Garibaldi Way and Diamond Road;
•A new multi-use path along Garibaldi Way from Highway 99 to Diamond Head Road;
•A second crosswalk with flashing beacons on Garibaldi Way at Tantalus Road;
• A left-hand turn bay from Garibaldi Way onto Tantalus Way (northbound) to allow drivers turning left to wait safely for their turn;
• Removal of the eastern entrance to 7-Eleven/Petro-Canada from Garibaldi Way;
• A left-hand turn lane from Garibaldi Way into the 7-Eleven/Petro-Canada for traffic coming from Highway 99.
Construction is slated to happen in phases, with the design work done this spring and initial work beginning between summer and fall 2022.
This project is unrelated to the neighbourhood planning for the area, the District said in the release.
“Residents and business owners provided us with extensive input about their concerns and suggestions for this intersection, and so I anticipate it will be welcome news to hear that improvements are close at hand,” said Mayor Karen Elliott, in the release. “These improvements will address important safety and traffic flow concerns in a way that considers the existing built infrastructure in this zone to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists. The plan also creates an important multi-use path connection from the Corridor Trail to expand active transportation opportunities for pedestrians and cyclists.”
In fall 2020, the District conducted a survey that garnered 800 responses to learn more about how people use the area and their concerns about the intersection.
The District says the feedback, combined with collision data from ICBC, went into a traffic study about how to improve the area.
District of Squamish Engineering staff worked with a traffic engineering consultant to develop the study traffic study.
The District will also be widening the shoulder along Diamond Head Road, between Garibaldi Way and Diamond Road, to create more space for pedestrians in this area. This is an interim safety improvement before future planned sidewalk upgrades for the area that were identified in the Active Transportation Master Plan.
For more information about this project, go to squamish.ca/garibaldi-way-tantalus-road.
