It may not be a road, but it's the first bike path to make B.C. Automobile Association's annual Worst Roads survey.
B.C. Parkway took second place on the top-10 list this year. The parkway is a 26kilometre, multi-use path that runs almost parallel to the Expo SkyTrain Line through Surrey city centre, New Westminster, South Burnaby and Vancouver.
"It's really interesting to see a bike path get nominated, which shows that cycling safety is an ongoing concern and cyclists really see bike paths as their roads," said Ken Cousin, BCAA's associate vice-president of Road Assist, in a media release. "The bike path making the top 10 Worst Roads list speaks volumes about the need to ensure cyclists - and pedestrians, for that matter - have safe places to commute, which helps reduce the risk of traffic collisions for all road users."
For B.C. Parkway, pedestrian and cycling safety was the main issue.
"Throughout the campaign, we've spoken with road users and they're telling us that safety is a great concern," Cousin added. "Improving safety of all road users is a priority for BCAA, and if they feel poor road design and maintenance increase the risk of traffic collisions, we want to do what we can to help make road authorities aware about those dangerous and problematic roads in our province."
TransLink has developed a conceptual design report for path improvements.
"TransLink is making necessary upgrades to segments of the B.C. Parkway to improve accessibility, safety and security and to ensure it meets the needs of users and the region for years to come," said Derek Zabel, TransLink spokesperson, in an email to the NOW. "We will address safety concerns in dark areas under the SkyTrain Guideway by realigning the B.C. Parkway route closer to the road and away from the bushes west of Nanaimo Station as well as providing improved lighting in Vancouver, New Westminster and Surrey."
TransLink is going out for tender in the next few weeks and could not provide the cost of the project, Zabel said. He also noted some minor impacts to the bike path will occur, but TransLink is "committed to providing users and stakeholders timely information about these impacts."
BCAA is providing the survey results to municipalities and the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
