The City of Kamloops’ Transportation Manager is warning work to finish the final phase of the city’s north-south bike lane project could end up being shelved for quite some time as council looks for further community input on the plans for Lansdowne Street.

Purvez Irani notes the plans to build the multi-use pathway has been scheduled to coincide with a needed sewer line upgrade along Lansdowne.

“It’s quite possible the sanitary project may happen, and then a couple of years down the road, this would be a separate project, if the Active Transportation engagement group basically provides that recommendation,” Irani told Radio NL.

Kamloops council voted last week to hit pause on a plan to apply for grant money to fund the project, which is pegged at $2.75 million.

It would carve out a multi-use pathway along the north side of Lansdowne Street from 6th to 2nd avenue, while maintaining the two-lanes of one-way traffic.

“Basically where you’re seeing the sidewalk today, that would be removed, and a new asphalt multi-use pathway would be put [there],” said Irani.  “By reducing the lane, we could also introduce a new curb and some landscaping features.”

Irani told council that the proposal would mean four of the 62 existing on-street parking stalls – in front of Drake Cremation & Funeral Services’ and Rays Lock and Key – would be removed. He said the city reached out to both those businesses and neither were concerned about losing the spots.

While the City seeks further input on the proposal, it would appear that most people asked are in support of the project.

“The active transportation engagement group was surveyed about the proposed Lansdowne Street multi-use pathway with 82 per cent of respondents ‘somewhat’ or ‘strongly’ supported the project while nine per cent of respondents were ‘somewhat’ opposed to the project,” stated research done by the City.

Council was also told that a survey of KCBIA businesses garnered 67 per cent of support.

“My concern here is not enough of this segment of our residents were asked for their input,” Councillor Bill Sarai said. “If we’re going to have proper engagement, it should be right across the board.”

“I would think we should ask the community, not just specific users that may ride on that path,” Councillor Mike O’Reilly added.

“The other question would be, if we were to advance on this project what item are we putting off by advancing this one, what one are we slowing down and not making this round of funding applications?”

The project is the final portion of the City’s north-south Active Transportation corridor, which saw the 6th Avenue portion officially open in early October.

Councillors Nancy Bepple and Stephen Karpuk voted against postponing the Lansdowne pathway.

“If we don’t apply now, it’s not that we can do the work in the future,” Bepple said. “We’re digging up Lansdowne, it’ll be massive amounts more in terms of cost if we wait and do it in the future. So I appreciate the consultation, I’m not sold on the fear-mongering in terms of the traffic.”

Councillors did vote in favour of amending the transportation master plan to include a shared bike route and sidewalk on Clapperton Road between Leigh Road and Tranquille Road. They’ll apply to the BC Active Transportation Infrastructure grant to cover some of the $770,000 price tag.