The City of Richmond will spend about $62,000 to calm traffic on two roads in Steveston.
After the B.C. Day weekend throughout the month of August, traffic will be one-way eastbound on Moncton Street to allow for increased social distancing. Parallel parking will be allowed on the north side of the street. Bayview Street will have one-way traffic.
Council already approved closing Moncton Street between No. 1 Road and Third Avenue and allowing only one-way traffic on Bayview Street over the B.C. Day long weekend at a cost of $30,000 for traffic control personnel, setup and takedown.
The one-way traffic on both Moncton and Bayview streets for the rest of the month will add another $32,000 in costs.
If council had decided to close both streets to traffic for August – something only supported by Coun. Kelly Greene at last week’s committee meeting – it would have cost $122,500.
A motion was made to add more space on the north side of Bayview – taking it away from the south side - but staff said people are tending to walk on the south side. This motion was defeated but council directed staff to review Bayview and make adjustments as needed.
A city survey of Steveston merchants showed 43 per cent were in favour of extending the road closures beyond Aug. 3, while 49 per cent were opposed. Of the total 102 merchants fronting Bayview and Moncton streets, 82 responded to the survey.
- With files from Kirsten Clarke
