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Public polled on highway finishing touches

Traffic calming, gateway, among issues being decided

By Andrew Mitchell

Long before Tuesday’s public open house on the Sea to Sky Highway Improvement Project from Brandywine to Whistler, the exact route and number of lanes had already been decided — work has even begun on several sections, that will continue through this summer and the next.

However, Tuesday’s open house did give locals an opportunity to comment on the look and feel of the community, including the new gateway to Whistler.

It was the fourth open house held in Whistler to discuss that section of the highway, and according to project director John Cavanagh, almost all of the feedback has been positive.

“I like to use the building a house analogy. In the early meetings we were discussing what kind of house we wanted to build, was it wood or stucco, how big does it need to be, and that kind of thing. Now we’re in the process of picking out the carpets, so to speak, and so far we’ve had pretty good feedback on how this section of highway is going to look when we’re done with it.”

In the new design, both northbound and southbound passing lanes will be added to that section of highway, and there will be four lane sections as well. By the time the highway reaches Whistler the highway will be two lanes again.

It was important for safety to give people a sense of arrival once they’ve reached Function Junction.

“Studies have been done that show people drive differently in rural areas than in urban areas, in urban areas they drive slower and are more alert to what’s around them. That’s the kind of thing we’re hoping to accomplish with the gateway, to really give people the sense that they’ve arrived so they can modify their driving accordingly,” said Cavanagh.

The proposed gateway would be just south of the lights at Function Junction. There will be a large, lighted sign informing people that they have arrived in Whistler that would be of either metal or stone. The sign would also include the First Nations name for the area of “Spo7ez”, following a theme that will be used the length of the highway.

Visitors to the open house got to voice their preference for sign design and colour, as well as the surrounding landscaping.

Two choices being considered for the landscaping include a series of banner poles, with banners informing people of local festivals and events, or a series of landscaped trees.

The area would slow traffic heading into the intersection at Function Junction, which will become more frequently used in both directions once the athletes village is completed. It can also calm traffic if the speed limit is lowered from Function to Alta Lake Road in recognition of communities.

Another area that was addressed at the open house is the treatment of decommissioned sections of highway. Some sections will be closed off and reclaimed, hauling out the road bed, to straighten the road. As well, the curved sections near the railway tracks to the south of Brandywine and Function Junction will be straightened because of the use of overpasses. According to Cavanagh those sections were deliberately curved so vehicles would cross the tracks as perpendicularly as possible for safety reasons.

All the sections of decommissioned road will be reseeded with natural grasses, while the entranceways closest to the road will be planted with trees to preserve the continuity of the forest.

“After a while, people won’t even be able to see where the highway used to be,” said Cavanagh.

That includes the section of road at the south end of Function Junction. As proposed, the new overpass will allow Millar Creek to flow under it, as well as for mountain bikers to access the Train Wreck trail. Two sections of the trail will be impacted by the highway realignment, but will be replaced as part of the Sea to Sky Highway Improvement Project.

Another new idea being considered is a small northbound lookout, just south of Powerline Hill. It will be too small for buses and most RVs, and there will only be parking for six vehicles, but the site chosen will have views of Whistler Mountain, Black Tusk, and the Tantalus range.

“It’s another feature to give people a sense of arrival in the community, and views from there are just unbelievable,” said Cavanagh. “There is a chance that it will be located slightly north or south from where we have it mapped, but the view should stay the same.”

As with other lookout areas, the local government and First Nations will be responsible for adding signage, providing information about the community as well as the geographical and cultural history of the region.

Other features include an additional chain-up area for northbound vehicles, a highway turnaround at the alternate road into the Callaghan Valley for emergency vehicles, cars, and plows, and upgrades to intersections like Brandywine Provincial Park that include acceleration lanes and turning lanes.

“Right now there isn’t a turning lane into the Brandywine, which is a bit of an issue because you have to slow down and make a sharp turn to get in there. With this design it will be easy for people to get into the park, and easy to get out as well without worrying as much about what other cars are doing,” said Cavanagh.

Comments from the open house will be logged and reviewed by the Sea to Sky Highway Improvement Project, and presented to Whistler Council at a later date for their approval. The Resort Municipality of Whistler will have the final say what the gateway to the community will look like.

The $600 million Sea to Sky Highway Improvement Project, from West Vancouver to Whistler, is scheduled to wrap up in 2009.