Traffic snarled intersections south of Alex Fraser Bridge to see changes

The provincial government announced details Friday of three road construction projects in Delta aimed at improvingcongestion between Deltaport and the Alex Fraser Bridge.

The three projects will result in changes to the Nordel Way Interchange, Nordel Way Intersection and the Sunbury Interchange.

Since the construction of the South Fraser Perimeter Road, those pointshave seen frequent congestion problems, especially as truck traffic from the port has increased.

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"By improving the flow of traffic through this region, residents and local businesses will be better connected to their communities, both socially and economically," said Delta North MLA Scott Hamilton.

Changes to the Nordel Way Interchange, which connects that road to Highway 91 and the Alex Fraser Bridge, consists of acceleration and deceleration lanes, more off-ramps for Highway 91 traffic going into Surrey and a two-lane westbound overpass for Nordel Way over Highway 91 paralleling the existing overpass.

The Nordel Way intersection with the Highway 91 Connector will see the traffic signals removed in favour of a grade-separated intersection and an overpass.

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The Sunbury Interchange, which connects the South Fraser Perimeter Road with the Highway 91 Connector and River Road, will see its signals removed in favour of an interchange and overpasses and the signal-controlled railway crossing replaced by an overpass.

Vancouver Fraser Port Authority CEO Robin Silvester welcomed the new projects as a way to accommodate increasing container truck traffic.

Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Bryce Williams said the projects would create jobs for the community and provide congestion relief.

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The announced projects are part of the $245 million Deltaport Way Corridor Improvement Project. The province and the port authority will each pay approximately $80million towards completion, the federal government will pay about $81 millionand Tsawwassen First Nation will pay $3.5 million.

Construction is expected to begin in 2017 and run until 2021.

With files from Jesse Johnson