Walking

Programs

City of Coquitlam has developed various ongoing programs to improve the safety and environment for the pedestrians including:

  • Annual Sidewalk Program - where each year an evaluation of sidewalk requests considers key factors such as safety. adjacent land use and other factors for sub-sequent year implementation.
  • School Walkability Program - focusing on improving pedestrian facilities around elementary schools.
  • Land Development – Many new sidewalks in the City are also installed through land developments. When land along most roads is subdivided or rezoned, the developer is required to construct the road frontage(s) to the City’s current standard, which usually consists of sidewalks, curb and gutter, landscaped boulevard and streetlights.
  • Local Area Service Program – Sidewalks, through property owner’s petition, can also be built under Local Area Service Program. It is a neighborhood improvement undertaken for the benefit of the property owners whose property directly abuts the street where the work is done. Local area service usually includes sidewalks, road pavement, curb and gutters, street lighting, etc. The costs of service are paid by the owners of abutting properties, with some assistance from the City.

Greenways

Greenways are linear public corridors for pedestrians and cyclists that connect activity centres throughout the City.

Greenways are split into citywide and neighbourhood designations:

  • citywide greenways are long, continuous routes that connect major destinations throughout the City. They are comparable to arterial streets for pedestrians and cyclists.
  • neighbourhood greenways are shorter and provide connections to local destinations.  They are comparable to local streets for pedestrians and cyclists.

As industry practice shifts towards accommodating cyclists of all ages and abilities, we are transitioning to facilities that are physically separated from vehicle traffic.  

Most greenways will include multi-use pathways (MUPs) with boulevards, pedestrian-scaled lighting, and landscaping treatments depending on available right-of-way.  In more urban settings, we may need to provide more separation between pedestrian, bicycle, and other modes of active transportation.