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Johnston Bridge to get upgrade for cyclists

City receives BikeBC grant to make metal bridge deck safer for bicycles
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Quesnel cyclists will soon have more safety on Johnson Bridge as city receives grant to provide traction to metal bridge deck. Ronan O’Doherty photo

Quesnel’s bicycle paths and trails will soon receive an upgrade.

The City of Quesnel was successful in its grant application to BikeBC, receiving $223,500 from the provincial government. The BikeBC grants are awarded for cycling projects that support green transportation options and encourage healthy, active lifestyles.

READ MORE: Dragon Lake Elementary School hosts safety-conscious bike rodeo

Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson says the funding will be used to embed a traction surface on the metal deck of Johnston Bridge.

“[This will] make it safer for cyclists, scooters and motorbikes. We’ll also be adding signage to both ends of the bridge to ensure motorists know that cyclists have right of way when they are crossing the bridge,” he says.

The metal decking on Johnston Bridge can be slippery for bicycle and motorcycle tires.

“If that bridge is damp in any way, one slight mis-move, and you’ll be sideways. That applies to motorcycles as well,” says Simpson.

“This is for individuals who would like to be more active and move around on a bike. We need to create safer pathways so they feel comfortable. We do have motorists who are not used to cyclists on the road. I would argue the population here, from our seniors to our younger popoulation, they are becoming more active and are using bicycle pathways more. It’s a natural progression.”

The city hopes the Johnston Bridge will become the main route over the Quesnel River for cyclists, as a safer alternative to the Quesnel River Bridge.

“That will become even more critical if the Interconnector proceeds, as that will cause significant construction,” says Simpson.

RELATED: Ministry of Transportation moves forward with North-South Interconnector

This fall the City will be examining the city’s bicycle routes, hoping to map and consult on additional routes and extensions to existing ones. The changes to Johnston Bridge will take place in spring 2019, marking the next phase of the City’s active transportation strategy.

BikeBC is a cost-sharing program. The City of Quesnel will match the grant with federal gas tax dollars, says the mayor.

A previous BikeBC grant went to help pay for the extension of the Riverfront Trail in Quesnel, from the Rotary Ball Diamond to the arenas, which included a reduction in the grade of the trail below Dunrovin. This was recently completed.

“B.C. is a leader in North America when it comes to cycling infrastructure, and I’m pleased to see 18 more communities building a culture of cycling and encouraging healthy living,” says Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.

“I’m excited this year’s grant recipients represent diversity in the kinds of projects being built and the size of participating communities — both urban and rural.”

Cycling is on the rise in British Columbia, with the number of people who bike to work increasing by 64 per cent since 1996. Biking 10 kilometres to work each day can save up to 15,000 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

The Government of B.C. has invested more than $34 million in 117 cycling projects throughout the province since 2014, benefiting 70 communities. The BikeBC 2018-19 grants represent a total investment of $6.11 million.



editor@quesnelobserver.com
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