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Smithers to continue rolling along with active transportation plan

Council unsure of Third Avenue for a bike lanes
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Smithers council motoring along with an Active Transportation Plan. (Marisca Bakker photo)

Possible congestion in a certain area of downtown was almost a roadblock for the town to apply for grant money to assess the situation.

Councillors spent more than half an hour discussing a recommendation from town staff to support an application to Northern Development Initiative Trust for the funding of the Downtown Corridor Revitalization Plan.

The Smithers Active Transportation Plan (ATP) developed in November 2019, outlines objectives and strategies to focus on for future development that supports active transportation. Active transportation refers to any travel mode that is human-powered or self-propelled.

According to a report from town staff, public engagement was a critical part of developing the ATP. Participants indicated they wanted an active transportation network in Smithers that is safe, connected, inclusive, accessible and easy to use and maintain.

The hold-up for most councillors to proceed was the fact the ATP identifies implementing a protected bike lane on Third Avenue from Queen Street to King Street as a key action item.

The funding from this grant will enable the Town to hire a consultant with expertise in urban design, landscape architecture, public engagement and facilitation.

Most councillors felt this section of Third Avenue is too busy and adding a bike lane will only further congest the area.

“It is an accident waiting to happen,” warned Councillor John Buikema.

Council was reluctant to proceed with the grant funding for the consultant with the wording of Third Avenue in the application because they felt the town would then be tied to that idea.

A member of the public spoke at the beginning of the meeting and said there was inadequate consultation with the businesses in that area and suggested Second Avenue would be a better road for a bike lane because it has more residential areas and less parking lots.

Town staff assured council that approving the grant application won’t make concrete plans for a bike lane on Third Avenue.

“It won’t change the current applications for this project,” said director of development services Mark Allen. “And really, the whole purpose of this project is exactly that, to determine if the current concept plan on Third Avenue is the right concept or shouldn’t be changed to Second Avenue. So, that’s really the focus of this project is to have a design charrette, where you bring in a transportation expert, and you meet with the public and, and make those decisions.”

Allen also explained that the current bike lane on Third Avenue west of Queen Street which was constructed in 2014 is still considered a pilot project.

Council still wasn’t convinced, so Mayor Gladys Atrill made a secondary motion to go along with the first to apply for the grant funding.

The follow-up motion was that council direct staff to ensure all community engagement includes all possible cross-town routes, and recognize the potential congestion of Third Avenue between King and Queen Street.

Council was then comfortable to move forward and both motions passed.

READ MORE: Town rolls out draft Active Transportation Plan


@MariscaDekkema
marisca.bakker@interior-news.com

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Marisca Bakker

About the Author: Marisca Bakker

Marisca was born and raised in Ontario and moved to Smithers almost ten years ago on a one-year contract.
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