Details of the proposed multi-use pathway planned for Lansdowne Street in downtown Kamloops/via City of Kamloops
The Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association (KCBIA) says while it supports the proposed multi-use pathway along Lansdowne Street in principle, there are some issues regarding the consultation that has gone into the project to this point.
Speaking to City Council, Executive Director Howie Reimer says the KCBIA has a few issues they’d like to see addressed first they can formally throw their support behind the project.
“One is engagement with downtown business and property owners regarding a project overview,” Reimer said.
“Second, engagement regarding the impacts on parking, traffic flow, safety, and more; and number three is how will the pathway impact Lansdowne traffic congestion, particularly back from First Avenue between 3 and 5 o’clock in the afternoon?”
The plan as it stands is to carve out a multi-use pathway along the north side of Lansdowne Street from 2nd to 6th Avenue, while maintaining the two-lanes of one-way traffic, at a cost of around $2.75 million. It is the final portion of the City’s north-south Active Transportation corridor. The most recent stretch of that corridor – the Sixth Avenue Bike Lane – officially opened in early October.
Reimer says if the results of this consultation with downtown businesses are positive, he sees no reason why the KCBIA and its members would not be in support of this multi-use pathway.
“The KCBIA does support active transportation that enhances mobility and accessibility that increases foot and bicycle traffic to the downtown and connectivity through our community,” Reimer said.
“We recognize the need for an expedited process regarding the Lansdowne pathway project because of an approaching deadline for grant funding, as well as the time constraints due to the pending upgrade along Lansdowne scheduled for next year which could merge with this pathway project [but] it just seems like things haven’t really had due process.”
Kamloops council voted last week to hit pause on a plan to apply for grant money to fund the multi-use pathway along Lansdowne Street.
