Transportation plan passed in Port Coquitlam
Posted November 13, 2013 6:16 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
PORT COQUITLAM (NEWS1130) – Councillors in Port Coquitlam have passed a transportation plan containing some big wishes for the future.
It includes improvements to the Mary Hill Bypass and expanding the Evergreen Line out to Port Coquitlam.
It says future growth in regional traffic will mean capacity of the existing bypass will be exceeded.
“The plan recommends either provision of the grade separation of the signalized intersections or an expansion from four lanes to six lanes,” explains Manager of Transportation Dave Currie.
As for the Evergreen Line, Currie says existing bus routes traveling to the future SkyTrain are very limited.
“We recognize that the extension of the Evergreen Line is a high capital cost project, so we are also recommending in the interim that a bus rapid transit type of system be provided along Lougheed Highway in the interim,” says Currie.
Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore didn’t vote for the plan. He was hoping for something more transit friendly.
“The plans suggest we should get to 25 per cent of trips taken by non-automobile and I suggest we should get to 40 per cent,” says Moore.
He says they definitely need road improvements at the Mary Hill Bypass but there isn’t enough room to continually build more capacity.
“So we need to look for alternate ways to handle more capacity,” adds Moore.
