The city of Coquitlam is hoping a number of functional and aesthetic improvements to North and Clarke roads will make the busy thoroughfares more inviting to pedestrians and cyclists.
Last week, the city announced the completion of the Burquitlam project, which has seen the addition of new lighting features, improved multi-use pathways, pedestrian crossings and wider sidewalks in pedestrian areas.
Andreea Toma, the city’s general manager of strategic initiatives, said the enhancements mirror some of the work that was done along Pinetree Way in the City Centre neighbourhood following the opening of the Evergreen Extension in 2016.
“We are hoping this will create a lot of opportunity,” she said this week. “Just because you are building a SkyTrain [station]… doesn’t mean you can’t create beautification that actually animates the street around it.”
One of the main features of the Burquitlam project is the installation of illuminated street markers and what the city refers to as “iconic lighting.” Toma said the infrastructure improvements not only beautify the area but make it safer for pedestrians walking through the neighbourhood, particularly at night.
“When you have a lit corridor, it makes it more inviting,” she said. “That has certainly been the case for Pinetree Way.”
The project is built around two gateway features: one at Clarke Road, which consists of an illuminated street marker; and a North Star located at North Road in the median at Gatineau Place. According to a city press release, a third Plaza Star will be installed at North Road and Clarke Road north of Cottonwood Avenue following the completion of a nearby multi-family residential development. Toma said that Coquitlam worked with the city of Burnaby to save money on the project and create a more consistent streetscape. She added the city hopes to eventually extend the project south down North Road.
