“It comes as a great relief that Coquitlam is finally stepping up to the plate.”
Gatensbury Street can get busy and sometimes dangerous, especially for everyday pedestrians like Lori Holdenried, as well as hikers and cyclists.
However, there’s a sense of relief in the air along the community connector years after the Port Moody side of its multi-use pathway (MUP) saw safety improvements for all residents such as signage, sidewalk expansion and curbs to calm traffic in the neighbourhood.
Now, the Coquitlam side is set to get upgraded thanks to a $1.161-million boost from TransLink through its Municipal Funding Program, something Holdenried believes is long overdue.
“I am very much looking forward to this missing link being addressed along with traffic calming to address speeding on the Coquitlam section of Gatensbury,” the Gatensbury advocate and resident said in an interview with Tri-City News.
She notes since the Port Moody side was completed in June 2019, the pathway has been used more regularly.
“[Residents] also love watching the constant activity of walkers and cyclists. My friends and neighbours in Coquitlam were disheartened by the lack of attention Coquitlam has given to Gatensbury to support safe active transportation. They also expressed concerns for their safety trying to navigate the lack of sidewalks and pathways in Coquitlam to get to the new MUP in Port Moody.”
According to TransLink, the project — aimed to be completed some time in 2022 — will see the construction of a three-metre-wide multi-use pathway on the west side of Gatensbury Street from Port Moody border, which it adds is a continuation of the already constructed multi-use pathway in Port Moody to Regan Avenue (Como Lake Park).
The investment also comes years after Holdenried was asked by Coquitlam residents to present their case, explaining it was based on a young boy who was hit by a vehicle along the stretch while riding his bike.
She first advocated for the Port Moody side in 2011 when a driver travelling uphill had lost control and flipped their vehicle over on the road in front of her own home.
In fact, Tri-City News itself received lots of public letters long before the 2019 upgrades of how Gatensbury commuters need to slow down and for governments to make the route safer.
CAN MORE BE DONE?
It’s worth mentioning that among funding TransLink granted to 19 Tri-City transportation and infrastructure projects, the Gatensbury multi-use pathway received the most funds by a healthy margin.
And while $1.161 million is a good chunk of change, there are some that believe more can be done to make the street as accessible as it can be for everyone.
Holdenried is one of those voices and says the project’s description should also include connecting residents to other transit facilities within their city.
“I am not sure drivers would accept only being able to safely use parts of roads and to have roads stop and start,” she explains.
“The MUP should be extended along Gatensbury Street in Coquitlam to the King Albert Green Way and down Harbour Drive to Poirier Street in Coquitlam to provide true active transportation connectivity.”
Dubbed as the ‘Gatensbury Gasp’ by local cyclists, Colleen MacDonald with HUB Cycling Tri-Cities frequently uses the stretch as she feels it's the safest way to get from Port Moody to the Coquitlam plateau and local parks.
However, her side of the pedal would like to see a continuation of the path east into Henry Street as Gatensbury runs north-south, but begins from the short stretch on Port Moody’s side.
“Currently the wide, safe asphalt path ends abruptly and becomes a narrow sidewalk [with a pole in the middle],” MacDonald explains, believing an extension could make the journey safer for all ages and commuters.
“Another change I'd like to see is to allow timid riders the option of cycling down the MUP. Currently the path is bi-directional for people walking and running, but a person cycling is only allowed to cycle uphill and a person cycling downhill is required to 'take the lane' with cars. A confident cyclist would probably not find this a problem, but as a senior, I am not comfortable riding with cars, my friends won't ride with cars on Gatensbury and I wouldn't take my grandchildren down the lane with cars.”
Gatensbury Street is also known as the 'Gatensbury Gasp' by HUB Cycling Tri-Cities as its featured on the Ride With GPS app. By Colleen MacDonaldSAFETY AT THE HELM
“I think it's a lot better,” says Andrew Hartline to Tri-City News, also of HUB Cycling, about the current updates to Gatensbury of the last two years.
He’s grateful there’s a form of active transportation for residents to and from Como Lake and adding a multi-use path on the Coquitlam is a “super idea.”
As another frequent commuter through the neighbourhood — sometimes with the entire family — Hartline says the Port Moody side has been safe to use since the upgrades come along, but the Coquitlam side has been a different story.
“When taking the family cargo bike to Como Lake, once the Port Moody section of the path peters out we have the option of riding either on the sidewalk, or out on the road. Neither option works that well. I believe it is illegal for us to be on the sidewalk, but it isn't really that comfortable for us to ride on the road. In spite of the sharrows and 30 km/h speed limit, this is a busy road and as a bike route it's not really good for anyone but very strong and confident road cyclists. I think this isn't good enough.”
The steep features of the road have made it difficult for older bikers or pedestrians to use, even with the expansion on Port Moody’s side.
Hartline would like to see more done to ensure safety for everyone.
“There is a great new pedestrian bridge on King Albert to get across Como Creek, which connects to a pathway that goes to high school and Mundy Park. I think it would be really nice in the future to have a way of getting people of all ages and abilities down Gatensbury to that point.”
As for Holdenried, she’s thrilled she’ll be able to extend her outdoor physical activity as she uses the path twice a day to take her dog to Como Lake and Rocky Point Park.
However, communication is also a key factor in ensuring a smooth commute.
“I hope in the future the municipality of Coquitlam would work with Port Moody in a more supportive and collaborative way to address the needs of roads (for all road users) which they share so that residents of both municipalities can safety enjoy them whether they choose to walk, cycle or drive.”
In February this year, the city of Coquitlam’s engineering and public works department approved Gatensbury’s multi-use pathway as one of 80 capital projects to start in 2021.
This included two kilometres of sidewalk, a new water main and more than five kilometres of road paving.
