Pedestrians and cyclists in Port Moody could soon have more space to get around.
At its meeting Tuesday, city council will consider a resolution by its transportation committee that recommends the implementation of a “slow streets” program that reallocates road space for vehicles for use by pedestrians and cyclists.
In a report to council, committee coordinator Jennifer Mills said slow streets programs close low traffic areas to through traffic so pedestrians and people on bikes have more space to practise physical distancing. She noted a slow zone has been implemented on Alderside Road near Old Orchard Park because of an increase in the area of pedestrians and cyclists.
A similar program in New Westminster dedicated several areas in that city for active transportation instead of cars, including the closure of a lane on an overpass to the waterfront and curb lanes on two stretches of busy roads in its Uptown business district along with a southbound lane of North Road that’s become an ad hoc connection of the Central Valley Greenway bike route. Vancouver and North Vancouver have also implemented slow streets in several neighbourhoods.
In her report, Mills said with more people working from home, or avoiding transit because of the potential health risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in physical activity and use of sidewalks, paths and trails. But some of those are too narrow to allow for safe physical distancing between users.
“It could create potential concerns for conflicts of pedestrians, cyclists and drivers,” she said.
