Overlanders Bridge AT path resurfacing update July 31
Still blocked off, they are sanding down and painting something on (epoxy?) looks like they're working from both ends so should go pretty fast.
Overlanders Bridge AT path resurfacing update July 31
Still blocked off, they are sanding down and painting something on (epoxy?) looks like they're working from both ends so should go pretty fast.
Missed this announcement from June. I visit New West often and have ridden the BC Parkway many times. While it is a separated path, the intersection crossing were very dangerous. Great to see upgrades completed with proper intersection design. New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone has been really good at getting major AT projects completed.
Kamloops needs green paint at EVERY intersection where an AT route crosses!
BC Parkway upgrades now complete in New Westminster
https://www.translink.ca/news/2025/june/bc parkway upgrades now complete in new westminster
NEW WESTMINSTER, BC – TransLink and the City of New Westminster have completed major upgrades to a 737-metre stretch of the BC Parkway along Stewardson Way, between River Drive and 14th Street. These enhancements are designed to improve safety, comfort, and accessibility along this vital active transportation corridor.
"Upgrades to the BC Parkway bring long-lasting benefits to communities across Metro Vancouver," says TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn. "Whether you're cycling, rolling, walking, or running, these improvements make it easier and smoother to choose active transportation every day.”
Key upgrades include:
"The completion of the BC Parkway renovations fills an important transportation gap in our community," says New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone. "In working together, we have transformed this vital connection, improving safety and comfort of all road users. These improvements are a testament to our shared commitment to creating a safer and more connected community for everyone."
This project aligns with New Westminster City Council’s 2023-2026 Strategic Priorities Plan by improving the safety and accessibility of a key transportation route. It also meets the City’s Active Transportation Network Plan objectives to improve the safety, comfort, and convenience of active transportation infrastructure.
The upgrades were made possible through collaboration with Southern Railway of British Columbia, which provided access to a key section of land, and is funded by TransLink with contributions from the City of New Westminster.
Before:
After:
Asked BC Housing Community Relations Team about design feedback... sounds like the only channel is through the city.
Will there be any opportunities for public feedback on final path design or is feedback only through the municipality?
Feedback at this stage is only available through the municipality as it falls under their jurisdiction.
Response from the BC Housing Community Relations Team:
This development is still in the planning phase and the documents you obtained from the Property Opportunity Notice & Feasibility Study last year are the latest available.
As part of the planning process, we are working with our development partners and the local government on infrastructure upgrades, including Multi Use Pathways and other amenities for site connectivity. The final routes for these have not yet been determined.
Penticton - Lake to Lake Route
https://www.penticton.ca/city-services/roads-transportation/bike-route-construction
The Lake to Lake Route is now complete, with final landscaping underway and set to be completed later this fall. This protected bike lane stretches approximately 6 km through the centre of the city, intended to make cycling convenient and safe for residents of all ages and abilities.
This route provides a safe and convenient cycling option for residents of all ages and abilities, connecting Okanagan Lake to Skaha Lake. Roughly 120,000 trips were measured along the partially completed route in 2024. Also, a substantial portion of the project's funding has been provided by strong support from both provincial and federal governments. To date, they have contributed roughly 70% of the total cost.
Metro Vancouver - HUB Cycling UnGapTheMap Update
It’s a good thing that our amazing staff and volunteers in local committees across Metro Vancouver are constantly advocating to UnGapTheMap, and they have had some great successes. Here are some of the critical gaps that have recently been “UnGapped”:
Vancouver:
In Vancouver, there are a few exciting updates. A section of the Central Valley Greenway from Clark to Victoria was upgraded, including separating people driving motor vehicles and people on bikes and improving the painted bike lane to a protected bike lane. Additionally, 14th Avenue was extended from Alder St. to the Arbutus Greenway. People riding and rolling can now take 14th Ave all the way from the Arbutus Greenway in the west to King Edward St bikeway in the east. 14th Ave bikeway is a key east-west connection in the gap between the 10th Ave and the 29th Ave bikeways.
Burnaby:
A new multi-use pathway was constructed on Gilmore Avenue, filling a critical gap and helping UnGapTheMap for this community. Also, bike lanes on Southpoint Drive and 18th Ave were upgraded to protected bike lanes, strengthening the Edmonds area bike network.
Delta:
The Barns to Beaches route is slated to open June 1, 2025. The route links breweries and farm stands in Ladner with cafes and beaches in Tsawwassen. The route includes wayfinding signs, traffic calming and bike repair stands. This route has both the potential to draw people (locals, tourists, etc) to the area, and is a significant north-south route with potential future connections to the Massey Tunnel (via MOTT's bike shuttle), BC Ferries terminal and the Great Blue Heron Way in Tsawwassen.
Pitt Meadows:
A north-south Multi-Use Pathway connecting the housing and shops at Osprey Village to points north was extended.
Ridge Meadows:
Two brand new Multi-Use Pathways have been completed. One on Hammond Road from 203rd to West St. A second from 203rd St to Laity Street and from 117th Ave to Lougheed Highway.
Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail
https://shuswapnorthokanaganrailtrail.ca/
[Sicamous to Amstrong, currently being built but behind schedule due to ALC approvals. Really impressive how many groups they got to work together to make this a reality]
April 04, 2025
RAIL TRAIL UPDATE: TWO MORE SECTIONS NOW COMPLETE; MARA LAKE SECTION UNDERWAY
The Rail Trail partners—Splatsin te Secwépemc, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD), and the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO)— are excited to announce that two more sections of the Splatsin te Secwépemc/Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail have been completed, and construction is now proceeding on the next section of trail between Sicamous and Armstrong.
Since 2015, trail partners have been collaborating to develop the 50-kilometre greenway for walking and cycling. This scenic trail connects the communities of Sicamous, CSRD Electoral Area E, RDNO Electoral Area F, Enderby, Splatsin, the Township of Spallumcheen, and Armstrong. It will eventually link to Vernon, Kelowna, and greenway trail initiatives linking all the way south to Osoyoos.
Recently completed sections include those between km 0.5 and km 4.4 from Sicamous and km 49.15 and km 50.15 into Armstrong. The Armstrong section is open for use, while access to the Sicamous section is restricted due to the Bruhn Bridge construction and limited trailhead parking on the west side of the Sicamous Narrows.
Construction of the next section of trail between km 4.4 and km 14.8 along Mara Lake south of Sicamous was recently awarded to Skwlax Resource Management Ltd. Construction on this section began earlier this week and is expected to take six weeks. The general scope of work will include erosion control, environmental works, culvert and drainage improvements, preparation and installation of the trail surface, fencing, crossing improvements, signage, and landscaping restoration.
Flood erosion repairs are required but will not be completed until later this year. Detailed design for the 12 erosion locations have been sent for provincial environmental review. This work is required to take place during low water at specific times when fish habitat will not be disturbed.
Longer work hours are expected between 3 pm and 10 pm to take advantage of access around Bruhn Bridge closures and still meet the construction timeline. Residents along Old Spallumcheen Road should use caution. Construction equipment will be accessing the site from the Sicamous section of the rail trail.
Yucwmenlúcwu (Caretakers of the Land) from Splatsin Development Corporation are overseeing the project with Lawson Engineering Ltd. providing engineering design and construction services.
A funding contribution from the Federal Housing and Infrastructure Canada’s Active Transportation Funding program is supporting the current project work between km 4.4 and km 14. 8.
July 2, 2025
Please note that no new trail construction or aggregate placement will occur until further notice. SDC is currently awaiting formal approval from the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) before proceeding with any additional development on the trail.
Residents are reminded that only select sections of the trail are currently open to the public, including:
• The trail through Enderby
• The section from km 0.5 to km 14.8 heading out of Sicamous (please note: access is currently restricted due to Bruhn Bridge construction and limited trailhead parking on the west side of the Sicamous Narrows)
• The section from km 49.15 to km 50.15 into Armstrong, which remains open for use
Trail of the Okanagans
[This project connects Gap B - Goats Peak Park to Peachland on the Trail of the Okanagans map, big achievement! - Skye]
Multi-use trail connecting West Kelowna, Peachland was 25 years in the making
https://www.trailoftheokanagans.com/new-page-1
Some 25 years after the idea was conceived, cyclists and pedestrians can now travel between West Kelowna and Peachland without risking injury on Highway 97, thanks to the Peachland to West Kelowna Multi-Use Trail, which celebrated its grand opening.
The 2.7-kilometre-long path links West Kelowna from Seclusion Bay to Peachland and offers users not only safe passage, but also sweeping views up and down Okanagan Lake.
The connecting trail has been a long time coming.
The Gellatly Bay Trails and Parks Society was asked to bring a trail to Peachland 25 years ago, said Bruce Dalrymple, the society’s president and a retired engineer with a love of the outdoors.
“We couldn’t, because Goat’s Peak was not a park. It was private property,” said Dalrymple.
When Goat’s Peak opened in 2015, the society began working with Peachland and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to put the trail through.
It was a challenge to find a design that the Ministry of Transportation would accept; however, what was once a deer trail is now a 10-foot-wide path built with 6,000 tonnes of crushed gravel.
Peachland Mayor Patrick Van Minsel said the $2 million project was funded by over $920,000 from the B.C. Active Transportation Grants Program, $356,000 from the federal Communities’ Active Transportation Fund, and $400,000 from the District of Peachland. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure donated fill as well as highway barriers. “Now we’ve got to encourage people to use it,” said Garry Wittich of the Gellatly Bay Trails and Parks Society. “Once they come out and see what a beautiful job the contractor has done, I think they’ll use it a lot.”
Craig Thompson was part of a group of cyclists that pedaled from Heritage Park in Peachland for the official opening. “It took us about 20 minutes,” he said. “Depending on the type of bicycle you’re riding, you have to work at it.” It was Thompson’s first time cycling the trail, but he can see himself riding it frequently. “I think it’s fantastic for the community and for being able to connect West Kelowna to Peachland,” he said. “I think we need to move to a more active transport solution,” said Lloyd Stinson Sotas of the Peachland Outdoors Club. “A lot of people do commute back and forth. I think, from the business perspective too, restaurants will have a grand time on both sides, with new customers coming for a beer after they’ve had an invigorating cycle.”
The trail also represents part of the valley’s rich history.
The opening of the Peachland to West Kelowna section brings the Trail of the Okanagans Society closer to its dream of a 370-kilometre-long hiking and cycling trail from Sicamous to Brewster, Washington.
“This stretch—2.7 kilometres—may be short, but it’s very important because it’s the most technically difficult piece of the trail to build,” said Janice Liebe, president of the Trail of the Okanagans Society, an advocacy group focused on trail sections between the Bennett Bridge and the Canada–U.S. border. “It’s essential to have this piece so we can continue to build south and north, and connect all the way from Sicamous in the north to Brewster, Washington.”
The original Trail of the Okanagans, carbon-dated to be more than 6,000 years old, was a major trading route that connected the Syilx Okanagan communities.
The society is following the original trail as closely as possible as it works to stitch together more than 100 individual pieces of a fragmented linear hiking and biking pathway that exists from Osoyoos to Kelowna.
“We’re hoping today really inspires a lot of other communities to say, ‘Hey, I want to be a part of that,’” said Liebe. “The City of West Kelowna is actively working on our portion of the Trail of the Okanagans by embedding it within our Transportation Master Plan, currently in progress,” said West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at the Talking Circle, a feature designed to bring people together—where they can stop, take in the breathtaking view, picnic, drink some water, and ponder the long history of the valley.
I'm tracking a lot of cycling & active transportation projects around BC, would it be useful to have a thread with updates on those projects?
There's a lot going on and I find it helps keep the motivation levels up.
Back in December 2024 I did a thread on Bluesky about the development
https://bsky.app/profile/skyenott.bsky.social/post/3ldex5rxdo22r
It looks like BC Housing has taken down the Feasibility Study from the link in the first post but I saved a copy. Here are some highlights from that thread:
Feasibility analysis: "As informed by the CoK, a protected bicycle lane is provided on 6th Avenue, north of Columbia Street. A minor street bikeway is also currently provided on 5th Avenue, extending approximately 400 m south from Columbia Street and connecting to an existing multi-use pathway.
So from that it sounds like BC Housing - or at least the consultant they hired to write this study - is aware of the existing AT infrastructure and presumably will incorporate site design to connect to those features.
"A future MUP will be developed in conjunction with the improvements envisioned for the Columbia Precinct and the Steering Committee is currently working to determine the most feasible location."
"Construction of the Peterson Creek MUP should help improve the Site’s Bike Score significantly"
I know I've seen plans somewhere that showed the city intended Glenfair Drive to be the connection between the 6th Ave Bikeway and Xget'tem' Trail (aka Peterson Creek MUP) and I think there's still signage up that directs cyclists to go up Glenfair. However in the latest site plans and renderings you'll notice there's a new, very wide MUP going around the new residential buildings along the 5th Ave Extension:
Note that it's labeled "Proposed Peterson Creek Multi Use Path" in that plan even though it actually goes along 5th and not next to the creek. But a Peterson Creek MUP seems to be a requirement in some form.
I don't really have a preference in terms of where the new Peterson Creek MUP goes as long as Xget'tem' and 6th Ave are connected properly and all the Precinct lands residents have access to a good AT path between them. The layout is constrained by the choice of 6th Ave for the bikeway, but what's done is done.
I'm going to contact BC Housing and try to find out if a final site design has been chosen for the first phase at 515, 523, and 527 Columbia Street (breaking ground in the spring) to verify that the new MUP is in the plans and it connects to the 6th & Columbia intersection.
I've been watching the progress on the Columbia Precinct housing development for a while.
In total the development on the provincial precinct lands will add around 1,000 dwellings to the area and I want to make sure it includes connections to the Xget'tem' Trail and the protected 6th Ave Bikeway to make Active Transportation a viable option for those residents.
BC Builds development on Columbia Street slated to begin construction in 2026
KAMLOOPS — Construction on a massive new housing development in Kamloops on land owned by the Provincial Government is expected to begin in the spring of next year.
The BC Builds project at 515, 523, and 527 Columbia Street will include 249 rental homes – up from the inital estimate of “approximately 200 units” – on a site that used to house two provincial office buildings, which were demolished last year.
“[It] will include studios, one-, two-, and- three-bedroom units with a focus on accessibility, connectivity, community and site ecology,” a statement from BC Housing said. “BC Builds is an accelerated rental housing program that speeds up the development of homes that middle-income households can afford.”
“This plan will contribute almost 1,000 new homes to the area,” the statement said. “The Province and BC Housing will continue to work closely with the city to create an integrated and cohesive community where all those who live, work and play nearby will feel welcome.”
Here's what I posted on the AT feedback page
Thank you for hosting the AT Public Engagement Session on May 13. I heard many productive discussions and I hope to see the feedback integrated into the AT Master Plan.
My major concern is the prioritization framework that produced the current list of 0-10 Year Corridor Projects.
A connected AT network is critical to the success of the Kamloops AT Plan. Without connected routes between neighbourhoods and destinations, the city's stated goal of encouraging mode switching to AT will not be achieved.
Currently there is no AT connection through downtown between the North and South Kamloops AT networks. The 1st Ave & 2nd Ave projects should be top priority to connect St Paul St to Lorne St and Uji Way and the Overlanders Bridge. In addition, a counter should be installed on the path to the Overlanders Bridge to start measuring AT traffic on this critical network connection. Only what is measured can be improved.
There are many examples of the latent demand for connected cycling networks in urban areas. Nearly 20% of urban dwellers are now non-drivers and the number is rising. Non-car-dependent neighbourhoods are some of the most desirable places to live in all of Canada. Penticton is completing the last segment of their protected Lake to Lake Bikeway and has seen 20-30% annual growth in ridership, with 120,000 rides counted in 2024. Kelowna now has 300 kilometres of on-street bike lanes and 40 km of separated paved multi-use paths, and recorded 2.7 million bicycle trips across their dozens of bike counters in 2024. I lived in Vancouver's West End before and after the construction of the cycle network, and saw an explosion of cycling, normalized as a regular mode of transportation by people that do not identify as cyclists. Sadly, Kamloops is falling behind similar cities despite our excellent weather that allows AT travel nearly year-round.
With that in mind, I strongly believe that the following should be AT Plan priorities in the next 5 years:
The North-South major route would connect Summit Dr, Xget'tem Trail, 6th Ave, St Paul St, 2nd Ave to Victoria St to 1st Ave, Lorne St, Uji Way, Rivers Trail to Overlanders Bridge, Schubert Dr, Westsyde Rd with no gaps.
The East-West major route would connect TRU (via the much awaited TRU AT bridge for 15,000 students), Dalgleish Dr, St Paul St, Nicola St, Valleyview Dr, Gala Dr (to Dallas Dr as soon as possible), with no gaps.
This Major Route backbone could be built quickly for minimal cost (compared to car infrastructure) using quick build methods such as curbs, modal filters, and paint, and would immediately create a highly visible, connected network with new and existing spur routes branching off.
As others have pointed out, MUPs are not appropriate in busy areas such as downtown, Riverside, or Schubert Dr. Mixing bicycles/e-bikes/e-scooters at 20-30 kph and pedestrians at 3-5 kph (including small children, the elderly, mobility device users, and dogs) guarantees conflict and does not show consideration for any AT users, considering the amount of space and investment given to motor vehicles.
The state of AT infrastructure connecting Kamloops schools is severely lacking. TRU desperately needs the AT bridge to Dalgleish Dr, Valleyview Secondary has an unprotected painted bike lane that drivers regularly drift into or park on (and Glenwood Drive has no sidewalks or bike lanes at all), the York/Lethbridge/Fleetwood cycling route (which passes 4, soon to be 5 schools) is in mostly terrible condition with many dangerous intersections. Residents complain about school traffic endlessly, but there are few other options. Normalizing AT at a young age creates habits that last a lifetime. Would you let your child ride to school on any of these routes?
While most existing shopping centre designs are rather hostile to AT users, AT routes to malls and shopping centers - especially the Northills and Valleyview Shopping Centres that are in or near Transit Oriented Development Areas - should be connected to the AT network as soon as possible.
Kamloops is growing very quickly and the establishment of a highly visible Major Route AT network backbone will both make Kamloops a more desirable, healthy, and quiet place to live, and encourage new residents to use AT as their primary transportation. The easiest and cheapest time to build the AT network is today.
@trentsmith said in Mark your calendars - May 13th - Feedback on the Active transportation network:
You have to go to "City Wide Priorities- Cycling", then on the right of screen there is a "Read and Contribute" button.
Took me a minute to find it too, here's the direct link:
Lots of good submissions, keep them coming
Saw this today:
The City hopes work can begin by June 16 with substantial completion by Oct. 10 this year, just ahead of the Thanksgiving long weekend.
“This project involves the removal and reinstatement of asphalt and concrete at the abutment and expansion joint locations on the Overlanders Bridge deck,” the city said in a Request for Proposals (RFP) document that was issued in early April.
“This will also include the removal of existing construction joints and replacement with asphaltic plug joints. Additionally to the deck work, the separated pedestrian path textured surface will be removed and replaced.”
Not sure how busy it's going to be but if I can get someone's ear at the Transportation Dept here are a few of the things I'll be talking about, feel free to use:
I know the city is concerned with budget right now but afaik they already put aside $5 million for the TRU bridge and it's a 50/50 cost split with the uni. Getting 15,000 students connected to the nascent Kamloops bike network would be a huge win.
I'll be there!
@Tom-R said in City wants everything to be a Multi Use Pathways:
I've seen an online link in my e-mail. Here's their main one but I can't find the letters section (brief look). They do list hard copy locations, too. https://kamloopschronicle.com/
Picked up a copy, great letter. I like the tone of how you presented the facts, how it benefits everyone, and the call for civility.
Great meeting, thanks!
It answered so many of my questions about where the city's AT plans are & where the KCC wants them to go.
The Jan/Feb AT Plan Update pdf under "Communications Plan" said there were going to be two meetings with the Active Transportation Engagement Group, before and after refinements, is that not happening now?
• January/February 2025 - meeting with the Active Transportation Engagement Group
• March 2025 - follow-up meeting with the Active Transportation Engagement Group after
Active Transportation Plan refinements
Sorry to hear that, my next question was going to be about how the follow-up meetings with the Active Transportation Engagement Group went. I hope we can get more AT advocates on city council during next year's election. In the mean time I'll do what I can to provide feedback during the public consultation phase.