Port Coquitlam council is looking at a proposed $800,000 pedestrian/bike trail along Kingsway Avenue that city staff say would enhance the municipality’s east-west cycling connections.
Engineering staff are recommending councillors approve the first phase of the trail, which would run on the north side of Kingsway between Broadway Street and Wilson Avenue.
Dave Currie, the city’s manager of transportation, said the route would eventually continue right to the Mary Hill Bypass, connecting the city’s west side with the Pitt River bridge, Pitt Meadows and beyond.
“This would provide further connections to our industrial and job centres further east and also a direct connection to the Pitt River Bridge trail system,” Currie said. “It is very much a high-quality trail facility that would function well for the Tri-Cities.”
But a few hurdles must be cleared before the cycling infrastructure can be built.
The planned route would use land owned by BC Hydro, which would require permission from the Crown corporation. The city would also need a commitment from TransLink to cover 50% of the $800,000 cost as part of its cycling infrastructure funding program.
Council’s approval of the funding request, Currie said, would allow city staff to begin serious negotiations with both the transit authority and BC Hydro.
If the route is approved by council, it would be consistent with the trails outlined in the city’s Master Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan, which was adopted in 2007. That plan calls for improved crossings, easier pedestrian access to elementary schools and new sidewalks and dedicate bike routes.
The east-west bicycle crossing would also help funnel people into the city’s downtown, connecting them with other transit services, including West Coast Express as well as recreation and shopping amenities.
A paved pedestrian/bike path would be separated from the road and would have a width of approximately 3 to 4 m, said a city staff report.
Currie said that if the city receives the necessary approvals by early next year, construction on the facility could commence in spring or summer 2012.
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