The City of Delta will soon have new cycling master plan.
In a recent letter to TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn on transit issues including Transport 2050, Mayor George noted Delta is currently in the process of finalizing a cycling mater plan.
Once available, the plan will be forwarded to TransLink staff to consider incorporating the recommendations into the draft Transport 2050 Regional Cycling Network map, Harvie noted.
In the works by city staff for a couple of years, the new cycling plan is to develop a well-connected, safe, convenient and complete cycling network.
“The Cycling Master Plan will provide a course of action that reflects the community’s priorities and available resources. It will outline strategies, recommend infrastructure, policies, and education to help enable and encourage cycling as a practical and convenient form of transportation,” according to the city.
A resident survey was undertaken earlier this year.
Council last fall agreed to award a $55,500 contract for a consultant to help identify and evaluate potential locations for cycling infrastructure improvements within the municipality, as well as update the cycling route prioritization model in a study from a decade ago.
In addition, the project includes verification of existing routes and the development of road cross section drawings for recommended cycling routes.
A report to city council notes, “From the Cycling Master Plan public consultation earlier this year, majority of the respondents identified cycling more since the start of the pandemic. Respondents also noted that one of the top barriers to cycling is the lack of dedicated, on-street cycling lanes, and one of the top ways to encourage more cycling is to fill in the gaps in the cycling network and provide more on-street cycling lanes.”
Council recently gave staff the go-ahead to come up with a conceptual design for new cycling lanes on 12 Avenue between English Bluff Road and 56 Street in Tsawwassen.
New cycling lanes were completed this summer on 12 Avenue between 56 Street and Boundary Bay Road.
The cycling lanes feature a painted buffer that provides an additional separation between the cycling and vehicle lanes as well as high-visibility green paint to demark traffic conflict zones at driveway entrances.
The new cycling lanes are to provide connectivity with the exiting cycling lanes on Boundary Bay Road and connect cyclists to Boundary Bay Regional Park, Southlands and the Boundary Bay neighbourhood.
Staff received positive feedback on the idea from residents as well as the Delta HUB cycling group.
