Parksville council recently had a look at the draft version of the city's upcoming Transportation Master Plan.
Matthew Browning with McElhanney went over the highlights of the plan, which include a recommendation to extend the western lane of Highway 19A from Roscow Street to Bay Avenue.
“People sort of race up the inside curb lane to try and sneak in the get ahead of traffic. A lot of those vehicles are trying to turn right at Bay anyway,” Browning said during a committee of the whole meeting on April 9.
He added the suggestion was something brought up through community engagement, and will improve safety.
The new transportation master plan will be a guiding strategic document which will address current and future needs for all modes (auto, pedestrian, transit, cycling and micro-mobility) and which supports the Official Community Plan, according to a news release by the City of Parksville.
The draft plan also identifies three intersection improvements: Jensen Avenue and Alberni Highway; McCarter Street and Highway 19A; and Martindale Road and Highway 19A. All three can be improved for cyclist and pedestrian safety, said Browning, who added the intersections act as gateways to the Community Park and the city itself.
Six cycling projects were identified, with the goal of connecting existing bike lanes, such as connecting the corridors on Shelly Road and Corfield Street.
The plan includes 18 locations where sidewalks could be improved, after consultation with Access Oceanside Association.
A few key locations include along the Alberni Highway between Moss Avenue and Lee Avenue; Wright Road and Temple Street, and the stretch from 168 Weld St. to 180 Weld St.
“When development happens in the city, you’ve got that to point to and say 'hey developer you need to chip in because the Transportation Master Plan indicates that pedestrian improvements are required on this roadway',” Browning said.
Other projects identified include: Stanford Avenue East utility replacement and road reconstruction, from McCarter Street to Shelly Road; the Parksville pathway project, Jensen Avenue West utility and road renewal with sidewalk addition; bus stop improvements, rapid rectangular flashing beacon installations on certain existing crosswalks and new crosswalks where needed.
Browning said some things such as a downtown traffic circulation study and a downtown parking study are outside the plan's scope.
He recommended a separate pilot project for the Highway 19A "re-imagining" which generated a lot of public interest earlier in the transportation master plan process.
Since this project began in late 2023, the public has been actively engaged through participation in three public open house presentations and three online surveys, according to the city.
The “what we heard” reports as well as presentations and reference documents, may be viewed on Let’s Talk Parksville.
The Transportation Master Plan will be available online to the public soon.
