Imagine Surrey promises 50 kilometres of new sidewalks if elected

Imagine Surrey says it would build 50 kilometres of new sidewalks over four years if its council candidates are elected on Oct. 17. Mayoral candidate Mike Starchuk said the work would begin outside schools.

In a Sept. 9 news release, the civic slate said more than 80,000 Surrey students had returned to class and that many walk along roads without sidewalks. Starchuk said children in Surrey need sidewalks now rather than decades from now.

On July 13, Surrey council approved a $1,689,448.95 contract for Jack Cewe Construction Ltd. to build and improve 1,830 metres of sidewalks at five North Surrey locations, including three new crosswalks. The work is expected to be completed by October. Construction is permitted from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Last year, council endorsed a sidewalk action plan intended to add more than 558 kilometres of sidewalks over the next 50 years. At the time, 63 kilometres of arterial and collector roads had no sidewalks, 118 kilometres had sidewalks on only one side, and 377 kilometres of local roads had none.

Council accepted the engineering department’s recommendation to use the plan to prioritize projects. Scott Neuman, Surrey’s general manager of engineering, said in a corporate report that B.C. cities historically did not require sidewalks as development proceeded. The plan identified 23 new projects over two years to provide safer pedestrian access to 23 schools, 55 bus stops and 23 parks.

City hall builds about seven to 10 kilometres of sidewalks each year. City staff estimate it would cost $400 million to $500 million and take nearly 50 years to deliver the planned 558 kilometres. Imagine Surrey council candidate William Li said he is concerned by the number of missing sidewalks across the city, particularly near schools.