It’s going to cost Port Moody taxpayers an additional $1.5 million for the city to complete several projects aimed at making it easier to get around the city by transit, walking and cycling.
And city council members are worried the costs could go even higher.
In an update on progress of the city’s master transportation plan, the project’s manager, Mark Halpin, said construction costs have “escalated significantly” since the plan was adopted in 2017. He said several other projects have also been added, like council’s recent decision to expedite three new pedestrian-controlled crosswalks — two on Clarke Street and another on St. Johns — that were originally slated to be funded as part of development projects.
In a report, Halpin said the estimated cost for projects already in progress and those planned for completion by 2024 is $9.9 million, of which all but $1.545 million can be covered by grants already secured from ICBC and TransLink, projected grants and money from the city’s master transportation plan reserve fund. He said it will cost $12.3 million to realize all the projects proposed for the plan’s first 10 years, more than twice what was originally anticipated.
That got the attention of Coun Hunter Madsen, who said, “It makes one question whether the original assessments were rooted in reality. It makes me feel uncertain.”
Coun. Diana Dilworth also expressed concern.
“I’m not sure we can keep going back to the taxpayers,” she said, adding some projects might have to be delayed or reprioritized if costs keep going up.
Halpin said the completion of several of the 85 projects identified in the plan are already moving the city towards its goal of increasing the use of sustainable modes of transportation, reducing the number of kilometres city residents drive every day as well as reducing traffic-related injuries and deaths.
“We’re trending in the right direction,” he said, adding the completed projects include improvements to eight crosswalks and 18 bus stops; construction of a new pedestrian ramp on the Moody Street overpass and a bike path along Murray Street to Rocky Point Park; a multi-use path up the Gatensbury hill; and upgrades to 31 traffic signal controllers.
Projects in the works include the second phase of the Murray Street improvements, removing the HOV lanes along St. Johns Street and replacing them with new pedestrian and cycling corridors, and installing 23 new bus shelters throughout the city.
Jeff Moi, the city’s general manager of engineering and operations, said the need for better transit, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure will only increase while reliance of vehicle trips will decline as Port Moody densifies.
“If Port Moody can develop in a way where there’s services and jobs nearby, those daily trips by vehicle can be shortened or eliminated,” he said.
