Pedestrians and cyclists are delighted that work is “finally” getting started to upgrade the BC Parkway in New Westminster.
On Monday, TransLink and the City of New Westminster announced work on major upgrades to a section of the BC Parkway is beginning this week. The work is taking place on the 737-metre section of the path running alongside Stewardson Way, between River Drive and 14th Street.
Cyclists and pedestrians will have access to the route while construction is underway.
“Safety remains our top priority, especially during construction,” said Jawn Jang, a TransLink media relations advisor, in a statement to the Record. “We will make every effort to keep the existing pathway open for users while construction takes place. However, there will be some instances when the pathway may be closed for a short period of time to ensure everyone's safety. Crews will provide signage and communicate detour routes to the public when needed.”
According to TransLink, the total construction cost of the BC Parkway’s Stewardson Way upgrades project is about $6 million. The project is funded by TransLink, with contributions from the City of New Westminster for safety improvements at the Stewardson Way and Fifth Avenue intersection.
HUB Cycling New West said it’s really excited to see that the BC Parkway improvements are “finally happening” after many years of advocacy from its volunteers.
“This stretch of the BC Parkway has been particularly treacherous for people on bikes, so we are thrilled that there will be improvements to make it safer and more comfortable,” said a HUB Cycling New West statement to the Record. “Active transportation routes designed to accommodate people of all ages and abilities are absolutely necessary and will help make New West to be more equitable and safe. HUB Cycling looks forward to supporting continued improvements to the BC Parkway.”
Reena Meijer Drees, a member of the Walkers’ Caucus, said the group’s members are really happy to see that “the nasty piece of sidewalk” along Stewardson, running under the SkyTrain tracks and beside the rail yard, is finally being fixed.
“This trouble spot has been a sore point for pedestrians and cyclists for many years,” she said in an email to the Record from the Walkers Caucus. “Although part of the BC Parkway multi-use trail, it is a particularly unsafe section and causes a lot of conflict between those on foot and those on wheels. The sidewalk is very narrow, and there is absolutely no separation between those on it and the heavy trucks that speed along Stewardson. It is a hair-raising experience to travel this section, and fixing it is long overdue.”
Like many other “trouble spots” in the city, including sections of Brunette Avenue and 20th Street, the Walkers Caucus said the issue isn’t how to physically fix the problem but is jurisdiction.
“Getting anything done in this small stretch requires TransLink, the city, and the railways to agree. This has taken several years to accomplish. The political will to move forward is not always there,” said a statement from the pedestrian advocacy group. “We salute those who must have endured hours of meetings to get this to the point where shovels can be put into the ground, and look forward to being able to walk in comfort and safety from the Stewardson overpass to the Steel and Oak Brewery.”
According to the Walkers Caucus, improvements needed at crossings on 20th Street, 10th Avenue and Brunette Avenue, as well as sidewalk improvements on Brunette Avenue where a pedestrian was killed by a truck last year, fall under the Major Road Network. As a result, it stated the city can’t take unilateral action to improve safety for vulnerable road users.
“It is clear that for the majority of the stakeholders in these roads, traffic flow and goods movement trumps pedestrian safety,” said the statement.
