Highlights:
Valleyview Connector Train Overpass: A counter was installed in October last year, until June 2013, In that time period, the bridge had 83,600+ crossings. Well over the 85,000 annually projected.
Bike to Work Week: Since the start in 2010 participants have increased from 192, to 918 this year, a 378% increase. Talk about good inflation.
Tranquille Rivers Trail Extension Project: Started earlier this year incorporated with a lighting and sidewalk improvement project, will be completed this fall, just over a month passed completion date due to unforeseen complications in the lighting aspect of the project.
Highland Drive to Juniper Ridge: This project should also be completed this fall. The good news is this project is not funded by the BMP, it is covered by the “Roadways Improvement Budget”. This route will feature Share the Road” signage for the single downhill lane of traffic. This will be the preferred method of commuting down the hill for cyclists comfortable with travelling at roadway speeds. A separated two way “Multiuse Trail” is for pedestrians and cyclists to share with a speed limit of 20 KMH.
Budgets: Speaking of budgets, you will be happy to know that the lion’s share of funding for these projects actually comes from the Federal Government’s Fuel Tax. Yes, the tax that you pay on every litre of fuel. Isn’t it nice to know that SOME of your taxes are actually being used for purposes intended?
The Valleyview Connector project and its huge costs were actually paid using City Taxes for only 12.2% of the total project. The rest came from Federal, Provincial, and various grants including “Greener Cities” grant.
2014: 9 projects. Various minor improvements to existing trail networks, traffic circles to facilitate preferred cycling routes in the city core, and design work for future projects.
2015: 7 projects: The Bicycle Master Plan, Pedestrian Master Plan, and Trails Master Plans Budgets will be combined into an “Active Transportation Budget”, but the various plans will remain separate items. This budget will see a huge increase mostly made up by separating transportation rehabilitation budgets into actual roadway improvements and the cost of sidewalk and trail improvements as their own stand-alone budget items. This will allow for better project estimating costs. This will also be accompanied by an 50% increase in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Budgets.
2016: Will see multiuse trail projects for the North Shore, and design for the Peterson Creek [Summit to 5th Ave], in preparation for…
2017: Peterson Creek Multiuse Trail Project.
The BMP Advisory Committee is looking forward to our next meeting in Spring 2014, hopefully featuring a guest speaker from KNAAC [Kamloops Natural Areas Advisory Committee] for an update on the “Trails Master Plan” and possible collusion as to where the two advisory committee’s trails may actually meet.
For more info you can download a PDF copy of the 2010 City of Kamloops Bicycle Master Plan from here: http://www.kamloops.ca/transportation/tp-bicycleplan.shtml
Regards,
Dale MacNeill.
