The City of Campbell River has released the results of community engagement as part of Phase 1 of its Master Transportation Plan.
The City and WATT Consulting Group have completed Phase 1 of the Master Transportation Plan, a city press release issued last week says.
Background data and existing land use conditions were collected, and visioning exercises were completed with the community. An online survey, an ‘Ideas Fair’, and a booth at the Farmers’ Market took place. The city received 404 survey responses, and 45 people attended the Ideas Fair.
RELATED: City seeks input on walking, cycling, transit and car use in Campbell River over the next 20 years
A summary of the community engagement results is available on the city’s website. This report includes feedback from the community, grouped in themes, and background information related to existing travel patterns for the pedestrian and trail network, cycling network, transit network, street and traffic conditions, and parking.
According to the city’s press release, key themes heard from the community include:
Barriers to walking:
- Lack of sidewalks in some neighbourhoods,
- Lack of sidewalk maintenance, and
- Vehicles not yielding/stopping for pedestrians at designated crosswalks.
Barriers to cycling:
- Feeling unsafe cycling on arterial roads without a dedicated bicycle lane,
- Lack of separation between people and cyclists using the multi-use pathways and trails,
- Poor east-west connections to key destinations, and
- Lack of secure bike parking at key destinations.
Barriers to transit:
- Too infrequent to be used reliably,
- Unfamiliarity with the transit system, and
- Lack of direct routes to get to usual destinations.
Challenges residents experience driving within and through Campbell River:
- Unsafe intersections, and
- Too much traffic congestion when I need to travel.
The next steps include the development of a vision, goals and strategic directions for walking, cycling, transit, vehicle and goods movement based on community feedback and the work completed in Phase 1. In early 2023, the city will seek further input from the community as the planning process progresses.
“Thank you to everyone who got involved and provided valuable feedback in phase 1 of the Master Transportation Plan,” says Melissa Heidema, Transportation Specialist. “More public engagement opportunities are planned for 2023 and we hope to hear from you so that you can help shape the future of walking, cycling, transit and driving in Campbell River.”
For more information about the project, the community engagement results, and how to engage in the future, visit campbellriver.ca/mtp2022.