COQUITLAM, B.C., Feb. 1, 2023 – Pedestrians in Southwest Coquitlam will soon have access to improved connections as the City is building 600 metres of new sidewalk on the north side of Austin Avenue between Guilby and Walker streets.
Funded in part by a $500,000 grant from the BC Active Transportation Program, the project will complete approximately 600 metres of sidewalk on the north side of Austin Avenue, beside the Vancouver Golf Club. This is one of the City’s highest-priority sidewalk improvement locations because it is on a busy arterial road connecting Austin Heights to the Lougheed Town Centre.
Currently, the only pedestrian facility along this section of Austin Avenue is an older, narrow sidewalk, hindered by many light poles and driveway crossings. The new sidewalk will be wider, will avoid utility poles and will have many fewer crossings. For more information about the project visit www.coquitlam.ca/austinsidewalk.
Improvements Increase Alternative Travel Modes
The sidewalk improvements along Austin Avenue increase pedestrian safety and mobility options. A 130-metre section multi-use pathway (MUP) will also be constructed as part of the project, extending the existing paths to provide options for cycling and e-scooters.
Other improvements include:
- Retaining walls to mitigate impacts to tree roots
- Hand railings along the retaining walls
- Relocation of the traffic signal controller at the Austin/Guilby intersection
Project Schedule
- Tree removal work, to facilitate sidewalk construction, will begin on Monday, Feb. 6 and will take approximately four weeks, ahead of the bird-nesting window. Of the approximately 32 trees to be removed, 28 were deemed unhealthy or potentially unsafe as stated by a professional arborist.
- Construction of the sidewalk and retaining wall will be throughout spring/summer 2023.
- A replacement-replanting program including new trees and many shrubs will take place in the fall once the sidewalk is completed.
City’s Annual Sidewalk Improvement Program
Coquitlam has an annual Sidewalk Program for expanding and enhancing the City’s sidewalk system. This program is key for encouraging walking as an alternative to other travel modes, which is beneficial to the environment, and residents’ health and safety.
Pedestrian mobility and micromobility will also be key areas of focus for the renewal of the City’s Strategic Transportation Plan (STP), currently in progress.
An additional project planned for 2023 is a new 4-metre wide MUP along the north side of Lougheed Highway from Pinetree Way to Westwood Street. This project is scheduled for late spring/early summer.
About Coquitlam’s Updated Strategic Transportation Plan
The City adopted the current STP in 2012. Since then, the City has made progress in increasing sustainable transportation in Coquitlam such as walking, cycling and public transit. There have also been significant changes in transportation over the last ten years, including the addition of SkyTrain, consideration of different kinds of street users, and emerging technologies to address climate change mitigation and adaptation.
A new STP will provide a refreshed long-term vision for Coquitlam’s transportation network with a focus on prioritizing key actions and policy changes for the next 10 years. It will also align with other City plans such as the recently adopted Environmental Sustainability Plan and the Economic Development Strategy currently in development, while also applying the City’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Learn more at www.coquitlam.ca/transportationplan.
Media contact:
Mark Zaborniak, P.Eng.
Manager, Design and Construction
Engineering and Public Works
604-927-3500
epw@coquitlam.ca