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BCCC -
Coquitlam Cycling Connector
Letter to the Minister of Transportation
November 19, 2007
Hon. Kevin Falcon
Minister of Transportation
Province of British Columbia
kevin.falcon.mla@leg.bc.ca
Dear Minister Falcon
Re: Inclusion of the Coquitlam Cycling Connector in Port Mann /Highway 1 Project
The British Columbia Cycling Coalition is encouraged by inclusion of cycling facilities in the Port Mann/Highway 1 Project. We urge you maximize the benefits of this significant investment by including the Coquitlam Cycling Connector, a proposed link between the new Port Mann Bridge, the Central Valley Greenway and the Traboulay PoCo Trail as a required part of the project. This is the missing link that once completed, will create a network of traffic-free bicycle paths throughout the region that will prove popular for commuter, recreational and touring cyclists. Please find attached a possible routing for the Coquitlam Cycling Connector superimposed on the maps for the Brunette, King Edward, Cape Horn and Mary Hill sections of the project that were included in the Environmental Assessment.
The BCCC encourages the Province of British Columbia to work with TransLink,
Metro Vancouver and the Cities of Coquitlam, Surrey, Port Coquitlam, New
Westminster, and Burnaby to ensure that the Coquitlam Cycling Connector
and bicycle and pedestrian access to and from the Port Mann Bridge effectively
integrates into local and regional bicycle network and greenway plans.
The recently announced rapid bus on the Port Mann Bridge is an excellent
example of such cooperation between the Province and TransLink.
The Coquitlam Cycling Connector will be the most important bicycle route
in the region. It will connect Surrey, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and points
east to Burnaby, New Westminster and Vancouver. It will join the $50 million
bicycle path on the Port Mann Bridge to the $40 million Central Valley
Greenway. It will help ensure high levels of ridership on the two largest
investments in cycling infrastructure in the Province. It will also serve
as a critical link between the Central Valley Greenway , the Traboulay
PoCo Trail, the Dyke Trails in Maple Ridge and the new Golden Ears Bridge.
The Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition has identified the corridor south
of Highway 1 between the rail tracks and businesses fronting United Boulevard
as the best location for the Coquitlam Cycling Connector. While in the
long term, there is the possibility of a route along the Fraser River,
it could be at least thirty years before such a route becomes a realty.
Even when such a river route is in place, a route between United Boulevard
and Highway 1 will provide a faster, more direct route for cyclists in
a hurry.
The proposed connection to the Bridge along the north side of Lougheed
Highway will prove popular with experienced cyclists and people accessing
the surrounding neighbourhoods but it does not provide convenient traffic-free
connections to the Central Valley Greenway and New Westminster nor does
it serve as a connection between the Central Valley Greenway and the Traboulay
PoCo Trail. As such, we are proposing that both the Coquitlam Cycling
Connector and the currently planned Lougheed connection be included in
the project.
The Coquitlam Cycling Connector will be an important provincial cycle
touring route as a key part of the proposed BC Soaring Eagle Cycle Routes
allowing cycling tourists to safely and conveniently travel from Vancouver
International Airport to destinations in the Fraser Valley and the Interior
of British Columbia.
In conversations with Gateway Program and City of Coquitlam staff, there
seems to be an understanding of the importance of this connection but
neither has yet committed to ensuring this important connection is made
a reality.
Available space is severely constrained at several points along this corridor.
If this connection is not designed and built as part of the Port Mann/Highway
1 Project, it may be impossible or at least much more expensive to add
this connection at a later date. Project staff has indicated that while
the final design may have room for the Coquitlam Cycling Connector, there
is also currently no guarantee such a connection will be possible.
The Coquitlam Cycling Connector should be designed to a “Bicycle
Highway” standard and thus be as direct as possible with minimal
grade changes. It should also be well lit, avoid intersections with busy
roads, limit sharp turns, not contain switchbacks and maintain a minimum
width of 5 metres.
Cyclists heading westbound off the bridge would avoid switchbacks and
thus be able to maintain their momentum heading of the bridge. This will
significantly decrease travel times and the physically effort required.
It will also allow cyclists to quickly traverse this rather unpleasant
area and limit their exposure to the noise and pollution from the high
volumes of traffic on the surrounding roads.
The BCCC is convinced that the best way forward is to include this connection
in the scope of the highway expansion project as a required element and
not a priced option. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Path on the Canada Line
Bridge was included as a priced option. We strongly suspect that if it
had been included as a base requirement, the path and its approaches would
have been completed to a higher standard for less cost.
In conclusion, this is simply too important an opportunity to miss. The
Coquitlam Cycling Connector is an essential part of local, regional and
provincial cycling networks and should be a required part of Port Mann/Highway
1 Project. We look forward to further discussing the Coquitlam Cycling
Connector with you and Gateway Project staff. As well, it is our pleasure
to invite you to join us on a tour of the area and proposed route at a
time of your convenience. Please contact BCCC Director Marion Orser, (604)
520-7636, marion@orser.net, regarding this issue.
Sincerely
Jack Becker
President
British Columbia Cycling Coalition
cc:
Hon. Gordon Hogg - Minister of State for ActNow BC
Mr. Harry Bloy – MLA, Burquitlam
Maurine Karagianis – Opposition Critic for Transportation
Diane Thorne – MLA, Coquitlam-Maillardville
Chuck Puchmayr – MLA, New Westminster
Bruce Ralston – MLA, Surrey-Whalley
Mike Farnworth – MLA, Port Coquitlam-Burke Mountain
Mayor Malcolm Brodie – Chair, TransLink
Mayor Maxine Wilson – City of Coquitlam
Mayor Scott Young – City of Port Coquitlam
Mayor Dianne Watts – City of Surrey
Mayor Wayne Wright – City of New Westminster
Mayor Derek Corrigan – City of Burnaby
Pat Jacobsen – CEO, TransLink
John Fair – President, Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition
Alan Callander – Manager, Municipal Policy, Ministry of Highways
Paul Lee – Manager Transportation Services, City of Coquitlam
Catherine Mohoruk - Transportation Specialist, City of New Westminster
Gavin Davidson – Senior Planner, Roads and Infrastructure Planning,
TransLink
Liz Watts – Urban Design Planner, TransLink
Bonnie Blue – Parks Long Range Planner, Metro Vancouver