The City of Delta has issued a request for proposals for the design, contract administration and construction inspection services for protected cycle lanes on River Road from 72nd street to 76th street.
River Road on that stretch is classified as an arterial roadway and is on the city’s Major Road Network.
It is on bus and truck routes with the speed limit of 80km/hr., therefore, a physical barrier between the travel lane and proposed bike lane is required, the city said in a recent staff report to city council.
Delta has recently constructed protected cycle lanes with a concrete barrier on River Road from 68th street to 72nd street and reduced the speed limit.
The city also notes that the plan is to continue the protected cycle lanes.
The improvements include 1.8-metre wide cycle lanes on both sides, new concrete barriers, related signage, pavement marking and bus stop re-location.
The city says the design component of the project should be completed no later than July 3. It is anticipated that the project will be tendered in August and construction must be completed by mid-May, 2024.
Council last month endorsed a final draft of a new Cycling Master Plan for the city.
In the works for a couple of years, the plan intends to provide a course of action that reflects the community's priorities related to cycling.
The plan outlines strategies, recommends infrastructure, policies and education to help enable and encourage cycling as a practical and convenient form of transportation.
Noting the development of the plan was based on public and stakeholder feedback, as well as a technical assessment of the cycling network, approximately 220 km of cycling facilities have been identified. The proposed projects range from low-to-high priority.
The overall plan is estimated to cost approximately $105 million.
“Although the costs are significant, this is a long-term vision and implementation would be achieved through a phased approach that will rely on the leveraging of grant funding, partnerships with other levels of government and cost sharing opportunities. Once completed, the plan would provide a fully connected network,” the report notes.
