Just in time for summer, Township council has endorsed an Ultimate Cycling Network.
However, it will be several years before the network, which incorporates commuter and recreational paths, and a community network which links major communities within the Township, is complete.
The UCN is a long-term vision to accommodate and promote cycling, and its endorsement by council earlier in June sets the stage for more detailed examination of bike paths and routes, compilation of an inventory of existing networks, and development of a 2012 cycling network to achieve the ultimate cycling network.
The commuter network provides links between residential communities and workplaces, and typically uses streets with dedicated facilities and the shortest routes possible between home and the workplace.
The recreational network links residential areas with schools, and parks and other recreational attractions. These can be either streets or off-street paths and trails shared by other users.
Walnut Grove, Fort Langley, Willoughby, Aldergrove, Murrayville, Brookswood and the Salmon River Uplands are linked in the community network and this, a report to council noted, will need to be updated as the neighbourhoods grow.
In January, the Township invited input from the public. An examination of routes and suggestions for them showed, for example, that while many cyclists enjoy riding along 0 Avenue, staff found trouble with it. It is narrow, has no shoulders in sections, and has significant vertical grades that limit visibility. Of great concern is the excessive speed of vehicles.
Severe vertical and horizontal curves on 232 Street between Rawlison Crescent and Fraser Highway presented a concern, and staff have suggested 64 Avenue and Fraser Highway as alternatives.