Pedestrian safety and improved transit service were the top priorities among the large number of 91原创 City residents who turned out to the Master Transportation Plan open house held at City Hall last Wednesday.

Adding sidewalks and safety improvements at Grade Crescent at 208 Street and at Michaud Crescent and 203 Street were also hot button topics for residents.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what the solutions could be, but it鈥檚 a very dangerous intersection,鈥� said Rob Ruggles, who lives on 48 Avenue.

There was a large crash there last week, where a driver on Grade Crescent drove onto 208 Street into the path of a vehicle, causing that vehicle to flip several times.

It also is a popular road for HD Stafford students to use, and there aren鈥檛 proper sidewalks, pointed out another resident.

After holding an open house about 48 Avenue, the City is embarking on major upgrades to the roadway there, including constructing sidewalks and implementing 30 km/hr in front of the school, which isn鈥檛 there right now, says Kara Jefford, City infrastructure engineer.

Due to rapid growth and recent transportation system changes in the City and surrounding areas, the current MTP, which was adopted in 2004, requires updating.

The new plan, which is to be completed over the next six months, will guide future development of all modes of transportation in the City, including bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and road networks over the next 25 years.

The consultant, Urban Systems, will prepare preliminary transportation concepts for each of the modes of transportation, to be presented at a second public open house in the spring.

Residents were given sticky notes to write their suggestions on boards about roads, cycling routes and transit routes.

Suggestions included more transit on Highway 10, Fraser Highway, cut hedges down near Blacklock Elementary for better sight lines for pedestrians. One resident complained of the amount of traffic lights in the City鈥檚 four sqaure miles.

鈥淎ll public input will be logged and is valuable,鈥� said Igor Zahynacz, the City鈥檚 acting manager of engineering.

Since the last plan was adopted in 2004, the 204 Street overpass has been built, the Roberts Bank corridor overpasses are underway at 196 Street, over the Bypass and the population has increased in neighbouring Willoughby. Traffic counts have been done and will be factored into the plan. Where the City can鈥檛 make changes is to transit service, which falls under TransLink, City staff pointed out.

To provide your input into improvements, visit www.city.langley.bc.ca.