Dogwood Street does not need to go on a road diet, say the majority of people who gave feedback on a proposal to make the street safer for cyclists.
More than half who responded to a city survey about changes to the Master Transportation Plan didn’t like any of the three options proposed to reduce Dogwood to two lanes, add a centre two-way left turn lane, and bike lanes on either side.
Numerous commenters suggested bike lanes should be installed on secondary streets such as Alder and McPhedran, and those streets should be improved for cyclists and pedestrians. Some also pointed out throttling Dogwood will just send more traffic to side streets. Others said public transportation needs to be improved, and more accessible.
City staff published the survey results today, and are now incorporating public feedback into a draft plan for council and the public to review later this fall.
The Master Transportation Plan was last updated in 2012. Its purpose is to help the city plan ahead for the next 20 years by identifying community transportation needs.
According to the city’s project information page, the “updated Master Transportation Plan will encourage walking, cycling and transit use in order to build a community with less pollution, less congestion, healthier individuals, healthier communities, less reliance on fossil fuels and fewer collisions.”
Mayor Kermit Dahl thanked everyone who participated in the survey and open house.
It was great to see such an excellent turnout and to hear everyone’s ideas for transportation in Campbell River,” says Dahl. “Residents rely on our community’s transportation networks to connect with businesses, services, amenities — and each other. The community input that we’re receiving throughout the MTP review process will inform our decisions about transportation priorities moving forward.”
The city received 745 survey responses. Around 150 people attended the June open house, and the city also received nearly 50 general comments about the proposed changes.
