New system to guide drivers to best routes through congested Surrey, B.C.

(Photo from Flickr/Mark Woodbury)

SURREY, B.C. – Truckers and travellers trying to navigate Metro Vancouver’s increasingly congested roads could soon find the task a little easier, especially in Surrey.

The City of Surrey will be the first municipality in the province to install a real time Travel Time Information System and has agreed to pay 50 per cent of the $2-million price tag.

Bluetooth technology and lighted message boards will be set up on major truck routes and along key roads and highways through Surrey, providing updates on travel times and congestion.

Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner says in a news release that travellers will be able to select the most efficient route based on real-time traffic conditions.

She says the information system is a big step forward in improving Surrey’s ability to monitor and manage commuter and commercial traffic.

The federal government will pick up the rest of the tab, and Hepner says data from the project will provide valuable input into future transportation planning and infrastructure improvement projects.