The City of New Westminster has been busy reallocated road space in order to allow physical distancing for pedestrians and cyclists.
But it’s not enough, according to four local groups who say other cities have been more “aggressive” in their plans.
The groups Force of Nature New Westminster, HUB Cycling New Westminster, the Burnaby and New Westminster Walkers’ Caucus, and the Sustainabiliteens have collected and delivered to council stories highlighting the “problems with maintaining social distancing on the streets,” said a news release. “We are calling on council to create a contiguous walking route of COVID-19 streets in New Westminster.”
The four groups have sent a formal letter to the city that thanks council for efforts up until now, but urging more action.
“The City of New Westminster has taken the first steps, creating five kilometres of COVID-19 streets,” reads a statement. “But other jurisdictions are being much more aggressive and have created entire walking routes that support proper social distancing.”
Cheryl Lewis summed up the coalition’s concerns: “It’s just not possible to socially distance walking on the street in many places. Being able to walk along part of East Columbia is a good start, but taking social distancing seriously means walkers and wheelers need more support. There are far fewer vehicles on the road right now so there is no reason to not turn that space over to pedestrians.”
With B.C.’s new Restart plan, however, it’s unclear how much of an increase in traffic will be seen around Metro Vancouver, including New Westminster.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the city has made taken a number of steps to address issues related to physical distancing. This includes closing the northbound vehicle lane on the McInnis overpass to vehicles and opening it to pedestrians and cyclists; reallocating some curbside parking spaces on Sixth Street (near Sixth Avenue) to a place where pedestrians can wait for the traffic signage to change and pass one another on the sidewalk; and closing a southbound curb lane on East Columbia Street at Lower Hume Park to motor vehicles to improve conditions for people walking and cycling along the Central Valley Greenway.
Most recently, the city designated a section of Sixth Avenue, between Sixth Street and Eighth Street, as pedestrian space. The lane, located alongside Royal City Centre, is normally used by vehicles.
And more changes are coming in various areas of the city.
“Staff continue to review the daily education and enforcement task force reports to identify areas of potential concern, and continue to receive reports of locations that are experiencing crowding and/or safety concerns due to increasing numbers of people walking and cycling,” said a May 11 report to council.
The report stated that staff are actively conducting technical reviews and developing potential design solutions for in various parts of the city, including: locations in the Uptown where parking could be reallocated to mitigate narrow sidewalk segments; Carnarvon Street, between Eighth Street and the McInnes overpass, which would become one-way eastbound so the south sidewalk can be widened; and the BC Parkway along Stewardson Way, where a variety of responses are being considered.
- With files from Theresa McManus
